School-Live with Kiriha Yuuta
by Lafuan Qifays
Summary: It was supposed to be a normal albeit slightly bad day for Kiriha Yuuta, senior at Megurigaoka High School. However, when his city inhabitants gets turned into undead creatures, he is forced to survive alone in the harsh world where death may just be around the corner. When he cross paths with the members of the School-Live Club, can they brave the trials ahead, or fail. OC X Yuki.
1. Chapter 1: A Bad Day

Chapter 1 - A Bad Day

I'm doomed.

I can feel it.

The moment is nearing and fast.

I can hear their voice. I'm stuck in this place and I can't escape. To think that today will be the day, if I've known better I wouldn't have come to this place at all but alas, fate has won. I hate you, fate!

No. It's coming. They're coming at me. I don't have much time left. But as a man, I must never give up. For even if I shall go down, I shall go down with a fight. A fight that will show them my strength and will to survive. And so I brace myself for the coming-PUFF!

I'm currently lying on the ground with a large red ball mark on my face. And it hurts, a LOT. I think I have a minor concussion from the impact with the ball. The person who kicked the ball should be in the national league.

A red-haired person comes jogging to me saying, "Oh sorry Kiriha, I kicked it a little too hard. You alright?"

I should have guessed it was none other than him. This person's name is Akazawa Shuuya, my best friend and the ace of the school's soccer team, and damn his kicks are strong, how did he train to become like that. I swear his kick can bring down a wall although I don't really want to test it.

"Heh. Look at that mark. It's so damn funny that I can't stop laughing!" another person with blond hair came to me while grinning.

This person who is laughing at me at the moment is another best friend of mine, Subara Sakaki and although we're best buddies he's always playing pranks on me and prefers laughing his face off whenever I fell for his tricks or scolded by the teachers for falling asleep in class. He's a nice guy though and helps me out of those troubles afterwards. Most of the time.

"Well excuse me, who was the one that assigned _me_ to be the goalie!" I said while glaring at him.

If you haven't guessed it yet, we're having our PE class and usually, we play soccer. Well, _they_ usually play soccer while I always sat on the sidelines lying on my back peacefully asleep, at least until some asshole kicked the ball onto my direction that lands on my stomach, forcefully waking me up. Today, though, for unexplainable reasons I'm suddenly put in the goalkeeper position like I said earlier.

"We didn't have a choice you know. The usual goalie is absent and we're short on people, and since you're here anyway Yuuta, why not," says Sakaki with a grin.

"Alright alright, I get it. Sheesh." I say with a sigh. "But still, where is that damn Saito. He's the one supposed to be in the net but he's been absent for three days now." I said with a slightly annoyed tone.

"Now now," Shuuya pat me in the back with a smile, "Let's just finish the game quickly so you can continue your sleep, okay?".

"Aaah, fine. Let's get this over with so I can go back to being asleep without a care. Aaah ." I said with a yawn.

"Okay!" They both said and jogged back towards their position while I get back up on my feet, still rubbing my face to ease the stinging sensation. I hope it doesn't leave a bruise. Half-focusing my eyes back to the game, I started thinking that today is starting to be a bad day.

I bet by now you're all wondering who I am. Well, my name is Kiriha Yuuta, 17 years old, a student at Megurigaoka High School Class 3-C with an average look (slightly spiky black hair and blue eyes), average grades (you may not believe it but for all his pranks and mischief, Sakaki's got the highest marks in the class), still single (Shuuya' s the one who's always attracting girls), likes watching animes (my favourite, Sword Style Online) and my hobby, sleeping (when class is in session preferably). Overall, I'm your average high school guy.

After a couple more minutes, our PE class is finally over and as I was walking towards my class after changing my clothes, I started to yawn and wondered if I can sneak some sleep during the lesson. That is until I remembered that the next class is Languages with Ms. Kagayami-sensei.

'So I guess I have to stay awake huh. I wonder if I can do that especially after last night and the PE class.' I thought in my head. You see, the thing is when I watch animes I tend to do so until just a couple of minutes after midnight. Only then did I go to bed. The lack of sleep often leaves me yawning all the time. To compensate my lack of sleep, I decided to take a nap whenever I had free time such as during class. Some teachers, such as Sakura-sensei or Megu-nee as most student call her don't mind much about my sleeping habit as I didn't snore loudly and disrupt the entire class, but there are also some, like Kamiyama-sensei who are pretty adamant in keeping me from sleeping during their lesson. One of the methods that they use to wake me up is-

"Zup"

"Oowwww" I clutch my head painfully and rubbed the spot where the chalk hits. What a rude way to wake someone up.

"Please try to avoid falling asleep during my class again Kiriha-san," Kamiyama-sensei looks angrily at me while holding another piece of chalk. With a sigh she adds "Honestly you and Takeya-san are just the same, bringing headaches to me."

I glance to the back of the class while still rubbing my head to Takeya Yuki-san place. True enough she's sleeping peacefully back there just like I was a few moments ago. Watching her sleeping face, I've got to admit that she's pretty cute even with that ridiculous hat that she wears. I was going to stare a little more before the girl sitting in front of her caught me staring and grin deviously when she noticed where I was staring. I quickly turn my gaze back to the front to avoid her gaze. I slumped my head to my desk to hide my blush. Wait. Why was I blushing anyway? Ah, I don't want to think about it.

I raise my head a little and saw that Kamiyama-sensei's had turned her attention back to the board. 'I suppose I can sleep a little while she's not looking. Just have to keep a low profile so she doesn't notice.' What that I slowly lower my head and pretend that I'm reading. A couple of seconds later, I drift off to sleep.

* * *

"Yuuta" I hear a voice calling my name.

"Yuuta" I hear it again but I'm too sleepy to answer.

"Yuuta-kun~" I jolted up with a chill to my bones when I hear that voice spoken softly into my ear. I quickly glance left and right before I saw the perpetrator, Sakaki laughing a few steps from me. I sighed and slumped my head back onto my desk. "What do you want Sakaki?", I ask with a very irritated tone in my voice. "I'm trying to sleep here if you hadn't noticed."

"Hah? I came to wake you up of course. Everyone's already starting to leave class you know." Sakaki said with a grin.

"Everyone's leaving. Why?" I enquired groggily before realization hits me. "Wait. What time is it now!" I hastily asked him.

Sakaki, still grinning, said with a loud voice, "Dude, school's already over you know. I can't believe you slept through the afternoon."

I stared at him, dumbfounded. "Why didn't you or Shuuya woke me up earlier?" I said to him although I can already guess the answer.

"Hehe. Well, we tried to pull you out of your sleep but you didn't even stir," Sakaki stated." The other teachers and even Megu-nee shook your body to wake you up but you still, against all odds, remain asleep."

I shook my head regretfully, "So I slept through most of the school, huh. So unproductive. By the way, where's Shuuya?" I asked him when I noticed that Shuuya's nowhere in the class.

"Oh, Shuuya. He already left for soccer practice. As the captain of the team, he can't be late right?" Sakaki said.

"Right right," I said tiredly while slinging my bag. I walked my way towards the exit of the classroom with Sakaki in tow.

"Yo, Yuuta. Where're you going, man?" He asked me.

I glanced at him, "Home, of course. Where else would I go?".

"But don't you have a club to go to? The Gardening Club if I'm right." Sakaki reminded me.

"Come on man. You know I joined the club just to stop my dad pestering me about me 'not doing outdoor activities'. I don't really have any interest in gardening if you hadn't noticed. I've only ever joined the club activities once and it was boring, to say the least," I said with an annoyed look. "Growing plants and tending them just don't suit me."

"But there's some beautiful girls in that club right? Most notably that Wakasa Yuuri-san, with her gorgeous body and those big breasts, man I don't know why you wouldn't want to go."

"I'm not the kind of guy who looks at girls all the time you know"

"Yeah right. Anyways, I better get to the track," Sakaki announced. It seems that through our conversation we've arrived at the school gates.

"I still can't believe you joined the track and field club you know," I said, always surprised by the club of his choice. "Of course, you're pretty athletic among the guys in our class, second only to Shuuya, but with your scores, one would expect you to join the Science Club or the Maths Club".

"Yeah yeah, you've said that many times already in the past years. It's just that I feel a certain pull to join the track club, like a sudden urge, an unexplainable feeling -"

"Just say that you joined for the girls," I stopped his speech.

"You got that right. There're some pretty girls in there and I've even recently been asked out by a cute girl. Ebisuzawa Kurumi-chan's her name, she's from the neighboring class and one of the managers of the club," Sakaki stated proudly for his achievement of finding a cute girlfriend.

"Really~. I find it hard to believe that a girl would be interested in you, what's with your pranking habits," I said in slight disbelief.

"You know I play my pranks mostly on you right, and everyone else pretty much sees me as a perfect student."

"Urgh, don't remind me," I said in a depressing tone.

"Speaking of girls, I noticed that you were staring at Takeya-san earlier," I tensed a little when he uttered those words. "And I'm quite sure I saw you blushing a bit before you doze off again," Sakaki said with a big grin on his face. "So tell me, are you interested in her, Yuuta~"

I felt my face heat up a bit when he said that. I didn't think anyone noticed back then. "I don't know what you're talking about and I'm leaving now. See you tomorrow!" In my haste to get out of the situation I blurt out the first thing that came to my mind and hurriedly left the school ground, leaving Sakaki grinning behind.

'Heh. He's so cute when he's embarrassed like that,' Sakaki thought to himself. 'Maybe I could pair him up with Takeya-san and show him what a good friend I am. They'll look so cute together. What's with Yuuta's seriousness and Takeya-san's upbeat personality, they'd be a good match. Maybe I could ask Shuuya to help too. He wouldn't mind.' With those ideas in mind, Sakaki jogged his way to the school field for his club meet.

Unaware that it will be his last.


	2. Chapter 2: A Terrible Day

Chapter 2 - A Terrible Day

I was walking my way towards the train station to get to my house when my eye catches something interesting displayed in the window of a shop. A necklace. A beautiful necklace with a pink heart shaped surrounded by tiny jewels. I don't know why but when I look at it, I felt a certain pull, like a sudden urge and an unexplainable feeling -

'Crap. I'm starting to talk like Sakaki,' I thought to myself. 'Next thing I know I'm going to think about giving it to a girl.' No sooner than that, a vague image of a certain girl appeared in my mind. 'No, no,' I shake my head to banish that image, 'It's not like I'm going to buy it, and anyway, who am I going to give it to? My mother? My sister? They'll just think I'm weird.'

"Yes sir, how may I help you?" A sudden voice interrupts my thoughts.

"Wahhh." I jerked my body backward in surprise. A person(the shop owner perhaps) standing next to me.

"How may I help you, sir?" The person speaks again.

It seems that me standing in front his shop while showing weird behaviors had arise the suspicion of the owner and had come out to ask me.

"Are you looking for something sir? The owner asked me.

"Ah, no. I mean yes. Wait, no, or maybe yes. Perhaps? Hah, what am I saying." Still surprised and a little embarrassed, I blurt out some nonsense.

"Were you perhaps looking for something to give to a girl?" The owner inquiries.

"No. It's not like that!" I said with seriousness in my voice but the blush might have made me less convincing.

"Hmm. Really~" the owner said teasingly. Somehow he reminds me of Sakaki and the blonde hair made them even similar. "Then were you by any chance thinking of a way to rob my shop." He's grinning now.

He's teasing me, and I knew it. So, realizing that it's best to just play along and get out of there fast, I asked him about my object of interest, namely the necklace. "Actually, I was kind of interested in the is necklace here, the one with a pink heart shape."

He looked positively happy of this, "Ah that one. It's quite popular nowadays and you're lucky because we're offering a discount now if you buy two of them."

"A discount for two?" I questioned.

"Yup! A blue one for a guy and the pink one for the girl," he explained. "It's intended towards young couples."

I blushed again when he said 'couples' but quickly turn back to normal. "Well, I guess I can buy them if it's not that expensive," I replied.

"Oh, don't worry. They're pretty much affordable for a high schooler." He assured.

* * *

Eventually, I arrived at the train station after purchasing those set of necklaces(they're in a box in my trouser's pockets now). I still don't know what to do with them but I thought I could give it to a girl in the event that I get a girlfriend in the future. Thank goodness those necklaces really were affordable in the 'my-wallet-is-still-not-empty' way. As a passing thought, I noticed that there was a distinct lack of people on the train station that day but I didn't bother myself thinking about it.

When the train came and I boarded, the inside is noticeably less cramped than usual but still I shrugged it off. I also heard some whispers among the passengers about some 'violence attack' by peoples but I couldn't hear the details.

When the train arrived at my stop, I got off and made my way towards my home. After opening the door and saying "I'm home!", I was greeted by an object with the force of a wrecking ball towards my abdomen, effectively throwing me back out of the house before I can even enter it.

"Welcome home, Onii-chan!" I hear a voice saying.

Recovering a bit after the 'attack', I managed to lift my head up to look at the object currently sprawled on me, or should I say, _person_.

"Ruiko, would you please stop doing every time I got home," I said to the person which my brain had identified as a girl, while still struggling to get up on my feet, not without some pain of course.

The girl laughs, "Hehe, sorry Onii-chan."

This girl here people is my sister, Kiriha Ruiko. She's got green eyes and long black hair and she sometimes place a flower hairband on them. Even though she's now a first-year in junior high school, she still acts like an elementary student just like this. She still pounces on me every time I return home from school like when she was younger, unaware that she's now too heavy for my body to take the impact.

"Welcome home, Yuuta," finally succeeding in getting up from the ground, I'm greeted by my mother standing by the entrance with a look of…slight discomfort on her face.

"Hey, Mom. What's the matter?" I asked her when I noticed it. It's rare that she made that kind of face because she's usually smiling every time. She only had that look when something really bad happens, I just hope it's not too bad this time.

"It's those violence attacks, Yuuta," my mother explained, "Peoples are attacking other peoples and I'm worried about our safety. It's in the news since this morning and I can't help but be scared about it. I've also tried contacting your father but I can't get through."

"It's going to be okay, Mom," I calmed her down. "I'm sure the police are doing their best to control the situation and arrest those peoples and dad's probably too busy to answer the call. It's not like It's the end of the world."

"That's pretty optimistic coming from you, Onii-chan since you're always saying 'what a boring life I have' and 'I wish this world will end already' or-

"Just shut up you."

"Well if you say so Yuuta," my mother seemed to relax a bit, before smiling at me, Anyway Yuuta, what's with that box I saw sticking out of your pocket, hmm?"

'Crap, I didn't think she'd noticed,' I thought in my head. True enough, the box containing the necklaces was jutting out of my pockets. 'It must've been when Ruiko tackled me.'

"Oh, it's nothing, Mom. Just something not important from-" before I could finish my sentence, Ruiko had grabbed the box and was showing it to my mother.

"Look, Mom, it's a jewelry box."

"Yes, Ruiko, and what a pretty necklace in it. Moreover, there's two of them. I wonder what Yuuta is going to do with them." my mother grinned at me.

"Maybe he's going to give it to his girlfriend!" Ruiko spoke and I could tell that I'm blushing red at this point.

"My my, is that true Yuuta?" my mother asked me.

"That's not true and you know it. I was just staring at it but I was coerced to buy it to escape the shop owner's teasing" I tried to explain the reason.

"And why were you staring hmm~?" my mother asked further.

I have no intention of being questioned or embarrassed further so I quickly grabbed the box and dashed inside the house towards my room while shouting "It's nothing!" at the two.

Finally arriving in my room, I dropped myself on my bed. For so many things to happen in one day to me, either today is just a bad day for me or the world is ending. The latter seems more probable although I don't literally want the world to end.

I glanced over to my clock and decided that I have some time for a little nap and to get up before dinner. With that in mind, I rolled over and started to drift to sleep.

Oblivious to the chaos outside.


	3. Chapter 3: Not A Good Day

Chapter 3 - Not A Good Day

"Hmmhmmhmmm~"

Kiriha Ruiko is walking in her neighborhood thinking 'What a good day this is!' while greeting every person that she meets.

Indeed, the day is so beautiful with clear blue skies free of gloomy clouds, the sun shining brightly casting it's warmth to the living beings below and the sweet smell of bread.

The sweet smell of bread is of course felt by Ruiko because she is currently in the bakery, smelling the aroma of those fluffy bread that are still fresh even though it's already in the afternoons.

She then proceeded to buy three cinnamon bread and the shop owner, Ms. Tarikawa was so kind to give her another piece of the bread just like she always does. After saying 'thank you' to her, she exited the bakery and resumes her stroll. While eating a piece of the cinnamon bread, her mind went back to what happened earlier in the day.

* * *

Ruiko' teacher was handing out their test results from the week before at that morning. To Ruiko's surprise, however, she manages to get full marks on that paper even beating her best friend, Subara Maki. She frowns when her Ruiko's other friend, Akazawa Ryuuko congratulated her along with the class. Having met because of their brothers, Ruiko knows how obsessed Maki is in being the top best student at school just like her brother. Ryuuko, on the other hand, is very lackadaisical and prefers doing peaceful activities like knitting, gardening and taking care of her many pet cats that she keeps in her house.

Unfortunately, Maki is a very competitive person who hates to lose and gets jealous easily so as a result, she didn't utter a single word to Ruiko until lunch break even when she tried to converse with her.

The three girls brought their lunches and ate in the school grounds. Ryuuko tells them about how his brother had to reject yet another girl that confessed to him. The girl, however, was very pissed and chased Shuuya all around the school while holding a small knife. Shuuya, being the most athletic person in the school manages to keep his distance but bumped into Ruiko's brother, Yuuta(who was half-asleep at that time) which caused them to fall down and the girl to near their distance. Just as the girl was right above them Sakaki, Maki's brother, came to their rescue(Shuuya's own words), tackling the girl and snatched the knife out of her hand. The girl was later apprehended by the teachers and Sakaki was treated as a hero by Shuuya and the other students who watched while Yuuta was being glared by everyone for the rest of the day.

After the story, Maki stood up and started boasting about how great her brother is and how Ruiko's brother was a klutz while laughing. Ruiko would say something if she's not being so embarrassed by her brother's sleeping habits. At least now she knows why he had a big bump on his head when he got home the other day.

Before heading back to their class, Ryuuko informed them of what she heard on the news that morning where there was an outbreak of violence by peoples in an area near Tokyo. According to what she heard, the cause of the outbreak is unknown and she advised us to be careful.

Noticing that lunch break was ending soon, the girls finished their lunch quickly and proceeded to their school building. During their walk, Ruiko noticed a hole in Maki's path. She tried to warn her about it but it seemed her jealous mode is still on and she covered her ears and ignored her causing her feet to trip on the hole and she fell face first onto the ground.

Ruiko and Ryuuko rushed to her side but Maki held back her tears and stood up without their help. She strode away hurriedly from them but unluckily tripped and fell down on her face again.

When Ruiko and Ryuuko rushed to her side again, Maki started to cry and apologized to Ruiko for not listening to her and ignoring her for the day. Ruiko just patted her head and said it's okay while Ryuuko helped her stand up again. The rest of the school then passes away uneventfully.

When she arrived home that afternoon, she observed that her mother doesn't smile like how she usually does. When she asked her, she said it was nothing to be worried about. Her mother seemed to brighten up a bit though when she shows her test paper.

When her brother returned home she was surprised that he had purchased a set of necklace that looked fit for couples. Of course, she didn't believe him one bit when he said he was coerced to buy them because he's always careful of what he spends. She would very much prefer if her brother can find a girlfriend so she can have another friend. That idea always seemed impossible though as her brother was never popular or likable in his life and his only friend is Sakaki and Shuuya.

After Yuuta's escape to his room, Ruiko decided to take a walk and maybe buy some bread from the bakery. One thing that she seemed to have in common with her brother is his 'devil-may-care' attitude for anything unnecessary or stupid as she brushed off her mother's warning to not go outside.

* * *

Ruiko now finished eating her cinnamon bread while sparing one for her mother, is walking back to her house as the night is approaching.

During her walk home, Ruiko notices how empty the streets are even if dusk is near. Not even a single car or bike was seen or heard. This seems to terrify Ruiko and she quickens her pace to reach home as fast as possible.

"..."

"What was that?" Ruiko quickly turned around when she heard a sound from behind her.

"..."

Ruiko heard the sound again, it was faint but she could definitely hear it. "Is there anyone there?" she asked the area in a cautious tone.

Hearing no answer, Ruiko was getting terrified and started to back away from the direction of the voice, hastily walking towards her home.

"..."

She heard the sound again and it was louder this time, indicating the source of the sound is nearer. Ruiko starts to run.

"..."

Ruiko could hear it again and now it was accompanied by the sound of footsteps, walking towards her.

Suddenly, Ruiko could hear the sound and the footsteps from all around her. She was greatly scared right now and ran as fast as her legs could. She arrived at an intersection and picked the right path, hoping to get away from whatever was following her.

Unfortunately, the sound seemed to come from her front too. Ruiko backed away and turned around hoping to keep as much distance from the thing that was making the sound, but what she sees made her let out a scream.

There, ten meters behind her was a being that resembled a human. The being, however, has its hairs dropped down covering the face, and its clothes were torn and battered with blood stains all over them. But what scared Ruiko the most were their mouths which had blood in them.

There were more coming from behind her and when she turned her head back to the front, she was met with the same being, only more of them. One of the beings approached her and grabbed her hands. She tried to shake it off but it was no use. More of the beings come closer to her.

"Help! Someone! Mom! Onii-chan! Help!" Ruiko screamed.

As the being brought its mouth closer to her, she pleaded on last time.

"Somebody, help."

"Gaap"

* * *

Inside the Kiriha family residence, Miss Kiriha is being very worried. Her daughter, Ruiko had gone out and still haven't made it home despite how late the time is.

Miss Kiriha had been in this state since morning when she heard her neighbors talking about those attacks committed by the peoples while she was hanging the laundry.

At first, she was skeptical and thought it was only false rumors but when she watched it in the news her opinion started to waver. She had tried to phone her husband but when he didn't reply it only served to worry her more. Even though her son, Yuuta had assured her that the situation would be under control, she couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness. That's why when she had finished teasing Yuuta about the possibility of him having a girlfriend, she had locked the door and reminded Ruiko not to exit the house but she ignored her warning and left the house while she was busy preparing for dinner.

"knock"

Miss Kiriha heard a sound at the door. 'It must be Ruiko,' she thought. She rushed over to the front door, 'Gosh that girl, I'll make sure to lecture her about coming home so late.'

"Welcome back, Ruiko-," she didn't even get to finish because as she opened the door, what she saw was the image of Ruiko with her hair covering eyes and her clothes half-torn and stained with blood.

Miss Kiriha immediately grabbed her shoulder and asked her, "Ruiko! What happened? Who did this? Are you really hurt? Ruiko, answer me!" but Ruiko stayed quiet not answering her questions.

Instead, Ruiko lunged towards her mother with her mouth open. Luckily, Miss Kiriha managed to back away from her. It was then that she noticed the blood on Ruiko's mouth and the big wound on her left shoulder. Ruiko walked over to her slowly so Miss Kiriha retreated to the living room.

As Ruiko walked over to her mother, Miss Kiriha called out to her in the hopes that she will return to normal.

"Ruiko, stop. This is me, your mother," Ruiko continued walking towards her. "What had gone into you, Ruiko. What had happened to you!" Ruiko still ignored her scream.

As Ruiko's footsteps come closer, Miss Kiriha shed a single tear muttering "Sorry, Ruiko" and ran toward Ruiko, stabbing her stomach with a knife she had picked from the dining table earlier.

The being that was Kiriha Ruiko, however, was not affected and proceeded to bite Miss Kiriha.

Using her final breath, Miss Kiriha uttered a single word while crying.

"Yuuta"


	4. Chapter 4: The Worst Day Ever

Chapter 4 - The Worst Day Ever

I wake up with a bang.

"Bang"

And no, it's not because something exploded in my room but because I hit my head on my bed's head.

"Oww oww oww!"

I hold my head and turn my body over to take a look at my clock, 'Hmm, the sun should be setting by now. I wonder what today's dinner is, maybe I could take a look?' with that thought in mind, I get off my bed and start walking towards the door. Then, I notice that something's not right, the heater in my room is not working.

'So that's why the room is a bit chilly, but I'm certain that I've turned it on before I slept," I turn back and crouch down to check the heater for anything broken but I find none. 'Hmm, this is odd. Could there be a power shortage or something?' I stand up and flip the switch for the lights but it didn't work either.

'There really must be a power shortage, but what could be the cause? Guess I have to ask Mom about it.' I guide my hand towards the doorknob but stop before turning it. I don't know why but I had a sudden churning feeling inside my stomach that something bad is going to happen once I open the door.

I quickly dismiss the feeling and proceed to open the door without hesitation, to the world outside my room.

As I close the door behind me, I couldn't help but feel a strange atmosphere from the house, it's like the aura of something sinister. While I'm descending down the stairs, I find it very weird that the house is so quiet without a single sound apart from myself. That is odd as the house is always lively whenever Ruiko's home. She usually talks with Mom about stuff that I couldn't bother myself to care.

I arrive at the living room and see Mom and Ruiko just standing there doing nothing. "Hey Mom, Ruiko what are you-" I stop when they turn their head at me and it takes a lot of me not to scream at the sight before me.

Mom's face is covered by her hair that had gone messy, and her mouth is open, revealing her teeth but what scares me is the big wound on her left shoulder that's dripping blood on her clothes. Oh, and her body's deteriorating. Ruiko is in the same state as her except she has the wound on her right shoulder and there's a knife sticking out from her stomach.

I'm stunned, shocked, paralyzed and all other words that indicate I'm not moving. My brain tries to process this situation that I'm in, my mother and sister turning into something like undead beings and are walking towards me, but I failed. 'Wait. They're walking towards me?'

True enough, the beings that were once my mother and sister are advancing their way slowly towards my direction while stretching their arms forward.

I moved backward away from them, "Wait, stop," I said to them. "If this is some kind of joke to scare me when I wake up, then I'm not laughing okay!" they keep on walking towards me. "Hey Mom, Ruiko, you're there right? You can hear me, don't you?" I asked them.

My back hit the wall indicating I cannot go back any further. The distance between me and them are closing slowly. I just stand there, panic clouding my mind to think clearly.

Just then, my head hit something on the wall. I take it and inspect it. It's a sword. The sword had been in my family for so many generations that even my father don't know how old it is. According to the stories told by my father when I was little, the sword was used by my ancestors to fight evil beings that once invaded the land. They used a special technique to exorcise the evil beings and seal the source of the evil away. Back then, I don't really believe those stories but what I like is that my father permitted me to train using the sword although only in the courtyard, but it was fun. That is until I, just from pure curiosity, decided to slice a tofu using the sword. The tofu split just fine, but what's not fine was that the cutting board, the kitchen counter, and the wall was sliced too. My mother shrieked in terror when she saw it and chased me around the house holding a ladle in one hand. How was I supposed to know that the sword was so damn sharp? Since then, my father never lets me lay a single finger on the sword and I'm not too enthusiastic to touch it again.

Until now that is. I ponder upon myself what to do with the sword.

However, it seems that my thinking has taken too long when Ruiko lunges herself onto me but fortunately I manage to dodge sideways in the nick of time. She recovers immediately and faces my direction. I barely had time to recuperate before she shuffles her way to me. Before long she was in front of me again. I panic and close my eyes when she stretches her hand to touch me and I acted unconsciously to save myself.

"Schwing"

A second later I open my eyes and notice there is blood on my clothes. When I lift my head I see that I had unsheathed the sword and swung it towards Ruiko, who now had a big gash on her chest. She collapsed after a few seconds to my right. I'm still in a daze over what I had done before I remember another being in the room. I pick myself up and run towards the being with the sword held high.

"Raaah"

"Schwing"

I slash the being across the chest and it collapsed backward. My breathing is heavy and my heart is beating fast in my ribcage.

After a few minutes, I break out of my daze and realize what I had done. I had killed my mother and my younger sister.

"Ruiko, Mom. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I silently cried while calling out their name.

Boom"

"What's that?!" I hear a loud noise coming from outside. I hurriedly go outside to find out the cause, but I'm not prepared for what I would see.

Smokes are coming out of buildings in town and I could occasionally hear the sound of an explosion in the distance. In the streets, are peoples in the same state as my mother and sister, just walking aimlessly.

I drop down on my knees. I couldn't believe what I'm seeing. For me, there is only one explanation for this situation, this is-

"The end of the world," I muttered. I didn't expect that this is how the world will end and honestly, I still can't accept it.

"Heh. Heh heh heh," I start laughing. "Hahahaha. This is a dream right. There's no way this can happen!," I scream the words out.

"I'm still sleeping in my bed and all of this is just a nightmare! Hahaha!"

The undead start approaching me but I don't care, "This is not real right?! Hey, answer me!" I shout.

"This is just a dream right?!" I screamed at the world.

This is not a dream.

* * *

After shouting about the terrible fate that has befallen upon me, the undead gathered around me and in a fit of rage, I proceeded to slash at them using the sword until I became too exhausted and went inside the house for cover and rest. In my room, I cried on my bed for what I've done for several minutes.

Eventually, I stopped myself from the pitiful sobbing and went to wash my body to remove the blood and sweat. After changing my clothes, I decided to bury my mother's and sister's body in the backyard.

All the time I was digging the ground, I tried to hold back my tears from falling. When I was done burying their bodies, I prayed for their souls and begged for their forgiveness for any sins that I've done to them. After a few minutes, I stood up to plan the next course of action.

After some thinking and pondering, I decided that it'd be best to leave my home and search for other survivors. I know I couldn't be the only living person in the area, as there must be others who are subjected to this wretched fate like me. And so, I began packing my things to bring.

Among the things that I brought are; the sword (of course, it is my only of self-defense from 'them' and since I'm going to inherit it anyway, I don't see what's wrong with taking it with me), some clothes (my school uniforms, some casual wear, my boxers and a black hood jacket), several cans of food(I need to restock them at a supermarket or somewhere when they ran low), a swiss army knife (useful for opening the cans and eating the contents), my mp3 player(I have to keep myself from being bored to death), my wallet(I also brought my money, just in case), and last but not least, the necklaces that I bought that afternoon(I don't know whether they would be useful or not, but I promised myself that I would not die until I give one of the necklaces to another person).

After I finished inserting those things inside my backpack, I did the black hood jacket with the hood on my face and peeked outside the house. When I have confirmed that the coast is clear of 'them', I quietly exited the house onto the road. Sneakily, I moved from shadow to shadow, avoiding the lights.

A few meters into my journey, I turned back to look at my home. The house where I grew up in, the house where I played, slept, eat and do other things, the house where I lived with my family. A single tear came from my eyes but I quickly rubbed it. 'There's no turning back now'. Turning my head forwards, I began my new life in this new world where I must fight to survive.

Thus, I brave myself to face the trials that await me in my venture.


	5. Chapter 5: Despair And Hope

Chapter 5 - Despair And Hope

My steps echo inside the building. The interior is quiet with the only noise being my footsteps and the low growl of 'them'. Swiftly, and quietly, I rush my way past them to the elevator and quickly climb it. Having successfully reached the top, I make my way towards my destination.

It has now been several months since I left my house(I lost count after the first month). Being the sensible person that I am, I generally avoid encountering 'them' and I prefer outrunning them than actual fighting. After observing them for the first few days, I found out that their numbers in the streets are fewer at night compared to the day. So, with that knowledge, I started travelling in the darkness of the night while I sleep and rest a bit during the day(usually I spend the day inside some random building in a locked room or even on the rooftop of a building). I kind of become nocturnal because of that but since I'm already used to sleeping in the day and staying up late, it didn't make much of a difference. Some days, though, I didn't rest during the day.

"Haa Haa"

Today is one of those days.

I closed the shutters of the store behind me and looked around the premise. There seem to be no signs of 'them' inside the store. I sighed and take a moment to sit down on the floor to rest for a bit.

Today I arrived at this large mall that I frequently hang out with Sakaki and Shuuya before all this happens. Of course, we only hang out here whenever we have free time from club activities or in my case, whenever I'm not busy sleeping in bed. The mall is not too far from our school and I usually buy my mangas in the bookstores here. The mall really got everything that you want in it and it is for that reason that I'm currently inside the mall in daylight.

One reason why I choose to enter the mall during the day was because I don't want to be ambushed by 'them' in the dark in a closed space. It would also be very difficult to search for items in the dark even with a torchlight in hand(which I grabbed from a house that I 'visited' a few months ago since I forgot to take one with me).

I stand up and start surfing the aisles of the store to find the items I'm looking for.

To be honest, these past few months have been hell to me in my opinion. Food is not easily obtainable since they still eat the foods even in their current state and I have to fight to get my hands on the foods that they did not eat, like the canned foods. Their senses can still detect sounds, light, and touch from my observations on them. As such, it seems that decapitating them is the most effective way to stop their movements and fortunately my sword is sharp enough to cut their heads off, though I still don't like doing it.

"Ah! Here it is!" after searching for two minutes I found what I was looking for.

"Thank goodness these batteries are not damaged," I said in relief.

Yep, batteries. I was looking for batteries inside an electronics store. If you're wondering what they're for it's for my mp3 player and the torchlight since they ran out of juice three days ago and I was about to die both from boredom and danger. That's the other reason why I went to the mall in the day.

Grabbing my mp3 player and torchlight from my bag, I began replacing the batteries inside them. While doing so, I start to think of my next course of action.

'Hmm. I already got the batteries, now I need to get a few canned foods and if I'm lucky I may find some snacks,' I begin my planning. 'I may need to find some new clothes too, like swimming trunks and a new pair of shoes, these shoes are already too small to me,' I thought to myself as I insert the shoes I wear previously into my bag, replacing them with a pair of sandals I brought from home.

"I should find some mangas in the bookstore, they would at least alleviate my boredom," I talked aloud, "And maybe, just maybe…I'll find some people in here. The mall is huge after all," with that said, I opened the shutters of the store and began walking towards the shopping store.

Call me optimistic, but I still haven't given up on finding other survivors, even after months of solitude. I just refuse to believe that I'm the only living person in this area. Looks like seeing the end of the world with my own eyes have turned me from being a pessimist to an optimist. It's certainly a strange effect. However, it had also helped increase my strength and stamina. Well, if you had to swing a sword and run for your life almost every day I doubt you won't get stronger.

I arrived at the shopping store and focused on my hearing.

"Raaw. Raaw" I could hear a faint growl from inside the store.

'Well, I should have expected that since this is a shopping store,' A sad thought entered me, 'There must be many peoples in there when 'it' happened.'

Shaking my head to clear away that thought, I unsheathed my sword and quietly enter the store.

Once inside, walked slowly while listening for any approaching footsteps. I can sense their presence and I know sooner or later they will sense me too. Firstly, I went to the part where the canned foods are situated.

When I arrived there, I noticed one of 'them' up ahead, blocking me from entering the aisle. 'I could go the other way around but it will still notice me when I enter the aisle.' I try to think what to do but since I'm in a hurry, 'Looks like I have to put him down and grab as much can as I can before the others come over.'

Holding firmly on my sword, I ran towards him and before he could react, slashed it on his abdomen. He let out a growl before collapsing on the floor. There was a long line across his chest now. A stray thought entered my mind.

'Maybe if I practice some more I could make my own mark, like Zorro.' I grinned.

Realizing the sheer stupidity of that thought, I slapped myself to bring me back to reality.

Putting my bag down, I began filling it with the canned foods. It didn't even take a minute before I heard a growling sound and I knew they must be close. I hurriedly close my bag and ran away still holding the sword from the section of the store. Although I know that their movements are slow but there are many of them against a single me and I don't want to take any risk.

On my way out, I passed the snacks section and shoved some random snacks into my pockets. I quickly get out after that.

After finally getting out of the store I glanced back to see if any of them were chasing me. To my relief, none of them were. 'Guess I'm too fast for them,' I smiled smugly at the thought.

I proceeded to my next destination, the clothes store. It's on the upper floor so there's little risk of them being up there.

That is also another one of my observation in which they couldn't climb stairs or escalators well and as such, I usually picked the upper floor of a building to rest.

As I made way towards the clothes store I also kept a lookout for any signs of a living person but so far I don't see anything that points out there were any people alive in here.

When I entered the clothes store I went straight to the men's section and chose a pair of blue swimming trunks that fit me. Since I'm not a girl or have a good sense of fashion I went straight to the shoe store next door.

The reason why I decided to take a swimming trunk is because you can never know when you have to take a dip in the lake or the river to avoid pursuit, right?

I didn't waste any time in the shoe store and just chose a pair of shoes that fits me and are comfortable to my feet.

After changing my sandals with the new shoes that I just took, I climbed up the escalators to the highest floor in the mall. Right after my right foot reached the top of the steps, I heard a growl on my right. I turned my head and saw several of 'them', around twenty I think, walking towards me. The shared characteristic that they have was their small figure meaning they were children when they turned into those beings.

'Just like Ruiko.'

'No no,' I shook my head, 'Ruiko's gone. They may look but children but they're not living people anymore.' I immediately unsheathe my sword and ready my fighting stance.

They keep coming closer and closer. I clutched my sword tight ready to strike.

'Onii-chan.'

"Huh? What's that?" I heard Ruiko's voice. The voice seems to come from the group in front of me but that's ridiculous. Ruiko's dead and she's not here.

'Onii-chan,' I heard the voice again and it's still coming from the group of the undead walking towards me. I shook my head and look straight ahead.

What I saw was Ruiko's decomposing body coming to get me. All the children looked like Ruiko and had their arm stretched at me. It was just like that day.

I couldn't move. My feet were paralyzed and my arms were shaking, my body was sweating profusely and my heartbeat was so loud I can hear it in my ears. My thought process had stopped and I was just standing there, rooted to the spot.

One of them got close to me and I could see it's teeth. I immediately screamed my heart out and started running down the escalators. I ran and ran and ran, without an aim, I just keep running wanting only to get away from the site as far as possible.

I spotted a door in a quiet hallway and entered it, quickly locking the door. I sat down on the floor, breathing in and out to calm down my heart. I stayed like this for several minutes.

This is what happened whenever I see those being who were once children. For the first few nights, I keep having nightmares of Ruiko and Mom, how I killed them with my own two hands. I still have those nightmares now. The stress of knowing that I had killed my own little sister and mother is too great for me. I even once contemplated on taking my own life but I'm too scared to even do it.

I laughed, "I can kill my own family but I can't kill myself. I really am pathetic."

I wiped the tears that have unknowingly accumulated in my eyes. I then decided to observe the room I'm currently in.

The room looks like a storage room of sorts, with racks of what I suppose were goods, a single window and a couch on one side of the room. There's nothing special about this room which is what I expected, after all, it's not like there were any people living in here. That was my thought until I noticed several boxes stacked on my left.

The position of the boxes doesn't seem any special to an ordinary person, but I know these position. It's like someone stacked the boxes to hold off the door from being opened from outside, and then they removed the boxes to go outside. I know because that's what I usually do when I slept inside a room because it doesn't hurt to have another line of defense.

I realized what this means; there was another person who survived and had taken refuge inside this room! I inspected the boxes and concluded that the person must have left just recently since there was no dust on the top box.

I felt my spirits went up again and rushed out of the room to find the person or if I'm lucky, persons.

Right before I went down the stairs, I remembered that I want to grab some mangas from the bookstore. I did a detour and decided to go to the bookstore first since there's no guarantee that I'll catch up with him/her in just one day. It's no good rushing things around, that's my motto.

I walked to the bookstore and after concluding that it's safe, entered the store and went straight down to the manga section. "There really are none of them here. They must don't like books that much," I chuckled.

Browsing the mangas in that section proved unworthwhile since I had already read the latest chapter of all my favourite series. So I decided to try reading something else which brought me to the English fiction section. English is definitely not my best forte but at least I can understand a little bit of the language, enough to understand a simple book. However, I'm feeling a bit fired up at the moment and grabbed a fairly thick novel from the shelf. I recalled that Sakaki once read this title and recommended me to give it a try. It's about a group of people who have to live in a ruined world when a large catastrophe befalls the world. Along the way, they were joined by other peoples in their quest to find a home.

I smiled when I read the description on the back of the book. Their situation is just like mine except I'm all alone while they at least had some company. I took the book and inserted it inside my bag.

As I exited the bookstore, I unsheathed my sword and get ready to run at any moment. I walked slowly towards the stairs and quietly went down but it seems they can still notice my presence as one of the living. They shuffled their way towards me trapping me from above and below, but I didn't panic for I knew this was going to happen. Clutching my sword tightly I jumped from the escalator and landed on top a conveniently placed piano and hoped onto the ground. I then start running in a magnificent burst of speed towards the mall's entrance leaving the undead in my dust. Or at least that's what I hoped since I'm nowhere as cool as Shuuya.

When I arrived at the entrance, I panted hard and just stood there trying to get my breath back. After a couple of minutes and confirming that I'm not being chased, I walked towards the road to continue my journey, that is until my eyes spotted something odd on the road.

There were tyre tracks on the road.

This may sound normal because, of course, there were tyre tracks on the road I mean, it's not like they're kappa's or bigfoot's tracks. To me, however, tyre tracks are incredibly rare and not supposed to exist at this time since there were no people to drive the vehicles now. The only way the tyre tracks could be here was if…

"A living person drove here," I smiled widely. "There are survivors and they're recently here!" I said excitedly. "Maybe the person that lived in that room that I found followed them too." I gasped at the revelation that has presented itself to me.

"No time to waste then," I stood up and flexed my joints. "Alright! Time to find my fellow survivors!" I exclaimed loudly and started running towards the direction the tracks were headed.

* * *

I spend the next few days following the tyre tracks and looking for any survivors. I opted to travel all the time whether day or night and only resting for a few hours before getting back on track. I need to catch up fast or else the tracks will disappear when it rains.

As the days pass by I started seeing familiar places along the way and I'm becoming very aware as time went by of where the tracks are taking me. Of course, I dismissed it as sheer coincidence but I couldn't shake the feeling of suspicion. A week after following the trail, I arrive at the place where the tracks lead to and it proved that my suspicions were really correct.

The tracks led to Megurigaoka Private High School.

* * *

Next chapter; Yuuta will finally encounter the School Living Club girls. What will happen? How will they meet? Who's Yuuta going to meet first(you can probably guess who it is) and some revelations about Yuuta.

Thanks to shinobi117able for the early reviews. They meant a lot to a new writer like me. Sorry for the delay, the Internet broke down and college. As compensation, triple chapters.


	6. Chapter 6: When The Odds Are Against Me

Chapter 6 - When The Odds Are Against Me

School.

A place where parents sent their children to gain information by the process of studying so that they can be useful members of society when they got out. Some of the students there answered to that expectations while others do not.

For many normal students, school is not just a place for studying but also a place where they can interact with their fellow peers and teachers to nurture their social skills along with their academic skills.

A school is also a place that some students found fun, exciting and generally a nice place to be. All in all, most students like their school and the time they spend there with their friends and the staff.

As for me, I found the prospect of going to school every morning and sit in a room full of people to study some boring subjects as… well… boring. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I really hate this school but let's just say, I have many places that rather be than here.

At the same time, I also can't bring myself to like this school since the teachers seem to enjoy in giving us ludicrous amounts of homework, not to mention they always interrupt my sleep with various painful tactics. On the other hand, at least I have Sakaki and Shuuya to alleviate my slight dislike to this place, although the former always made my dislike worse. Conclusion, Megurigaoka Private High School is not a place that I hate or like, it's a neutral place in my dictionary.

Right now, I'm standing in front of this 'neutral place', although in truth I'm hiding in the house opposite from the school, calculating the risk of going into the gates of this now 'accursed place'(since there were many of 'them' in the courtyard, I can only imagine how many of them would be inside, turning the place into a trap pit).

'Hmm, should I go in or not?' I started thinking. 'The tracks lead here(of all places) so that must mean that there are survivors in here, although I don't know whether they're still alive or not,' I grimaced at the thought of not finding any other living a person. 'But, it doesn't hurt to try(hopefully) going inside and see the situation by myself. If there are someone inside then I'll have some company, the loneliness is starting to kill me after all,' I took a bright turn and readied myself for entry.

I clutched my sword tightly and stood up, ready to sprint my way to the front entrance(I'm a bit nearsighted so I didn't notice that the entrance was blocked with wood planks plus the wind were blowing sand, obstructing my view and the fact that I don't have a pair of binoculars). Taking a large breath, I started running into the school.

The undead seemed to notice my presence right away(probably because I was screaming while running) and turned their body slowly towards my direction bit they're slowpokes and I managed to avoid them.

I was keeping my sights fixed on the school entrance when something unfortunate happened. Because my eyes were locked on the front doors I didn't look where my foot was stepping and halfway through the courtyard my right foot stepped on something and as a result…

"Bam!"

I fell face first on the ground.

Muttering "Such misfortune", I got back up and glanced back to see what had caused my embarrassing fall. I couldn't believe my eyes at what I saw. It was a… soccer ball, and not just any ball but the same ball that had left an imprint of itself on my face the day the 'incident' happened. If I didn't hate it back then than I'm sure hating it now.

"Get out of here you damn ball!" in my rage I kicked the ball hard into the horizon, or at least into the end of the field. I felt a huge sense of satisfaction entered me but it comes out immediately when reality hit me. I have been surrounded on all sides by 'them' and with no apparent way out.

I took out my sword and began swinging at them but my movements were limited since space was small and they kept on coming. One of them got close and grabbed my left arm. I tried shaking it off but to no avail. Another one took a hold of my right arm and soon my body were in their grasp. I screamed to tell them to let go of me but it's ineffective against them. Then, I tried thinking of a better way to wriggle out of the situation but I couldn't come out with anything so I screamed again as a last resort.

'Damn, is this where I'll die? In school?' I know, I know, I should've thought of something else but that's really what I was thinking at the time.

Their mouths came closer to me and I brace myself for a painful death… until I hear a voice.

"Get away from him!"

For the second time in that morning, I couldn't believe what I saw; a girl, with pink hair and matching pink eyes, swinging her bag gracefully at the undead and running towards me.

'Another human!' my mind became overjoyed in successfully finding another living person after months of loneliness, but…

'What's with that hat?'

* * *

Inside the building of Megurigaoka Private High School, two students were walking leisurely in the hallway. Both of them are girls and one of them has short, white hair and purple eyes while the other has short pink hair with matching pink eyes. The latter was carrying a school backpack with two wings sticking out of the back and also wearing a strange black hat with two protruding points that resemble a cat's ears. The name of the girl with white hair is…

"Mii-kun, you don't have to accompany me to class."

Naoki Miki, second-year at Megurigaoka Private High School while the name of the one wearing the strange hat is…

"Yuki-senpai, I have to make sure you didn't accidentally try to leave the school like yesterday."

Takeya Yuki, third-year at Megurigaoka Private High School class 3–C, which is where they were heading right now. Both girls are also a member of the School Living Club where the members stay at school and do all sorts of activities in the school.

"Come on Mii-kun, I'm not that forgetful," said Yuki.

"I have orders from Yuuri-senpai to watch you, and please call me Miki," said Miki while pouting.

"But Mii-kun sounds cuter don't you think?" Yuki said her usual line.

"I don't need to sound cute," Miki also said her usual answer.

They continue walking until Yuki decided to look out of the window and spotted something interesting.

"Hey, Mii-kun look! There's a student carrying a sword to school," Yuki said while pointing at the courtyard. "I wonder if he's a member of the ken club."

"Hai hai, senpai," Miki dismissed Yuki's words as more nonsense because, there shouldn't even be a ken club in the school, at least from what she knows.

"Ah, looks like he tripped on a ball," Yuki tells Miki.

"Yuki-senpai, we need to get to your class so–," Miki's words were suddenly interrupted by an exceptionally loud voice.

"Get out of here you damn ball!" the voice screams.

Yuki had an amused look while Miki's face can only be described as pure shock.

"He must really dislike the ball," Yuki stated her hypothesis before being shoved by Miki from the window. "Hey, what's that for Mii-kun?"

Miki ignored Yuki's question before looking down from the window. She couldn't believe her eyes. There, in the middle of the school courtyard was a boy, with black hair and blue eyes around her age holding a sword, trying to fend off the undead attack.

"Another survivor," Miki muttered the words slowly with tears in her eyes. 'I have to get Kurumi-senpai here fast,' Miki thought.

"Why are you crying Mii-kun?" Yuki asked with question marks over her head.

"Listen Yuki-senpai," Miki said in a serious tone. "I'm going to get Kurumi-senpai. Don't move from here okay."

"Err, okay Mii-kun," Yuki agreed confusedly

With that answer, Miki ran towards back to the School Living clubroom, leaving Yuki staring out of the window.

'I wonder what's wrong with Mii-kun,' Yuki thought before fixing her gaze back to the scene below her. 'Hmm, somehow he seems familiar, I wonder if I know him from somewhere.'

As Yuki was thinking where he had seen the boy before, she was alerted by a sudden scream coming from the grounds below. What she saw caused her mind to broke down temporarily.

A horde of walking decomposing bodies of peoples surrounding the boy holding the sword with no means of escape for the boy. Yuki held her head as she could not comprehend the situation that she saw.

Yuki heard the scream again and when she glanced down the boy was being held by the undead while futilely struggling. Yuki's mind couldn't bear it anymore and her body started moving on its own.

"I've got to save him. I've got to save him. I've got to save him!" exclaimed Yuki as she placed her right foot on the windowsill and jumped down, landing on the flowerbeds below. Miraculously not having any injuries, she proceeded to run towards the undead while swinging her backpack.

"Get away from him!" shouted Yuki as she tried to get close to the boy.

* * *

Miki was running towards the School Living Club clubroom to inform Kurumi-senpai when she heard two more screams coming from the courtyard followed by another one that sounded like Yuki. She turned her head towards the window and she was surprised to see that Yuki is in the courtyard, swinging her pink backpack at the undead.

"That's Yuki-senpai! How did she get down there," said Miki in shock.

"Hey, Miki! What's happening out there?" asked a girl as she approached her. The girl has long purple hair tied in twintails with red ribbons and red eyes while also carrying a shovel in her hands. This girl's name is Ebisuzawa Kurumi, third-year at Megurigaoka Private High School and a fellow member if the School Living Club.

"We heard someone screamed and we rushed here to find out," said another girl following behind Kurumi. The girl has long brown hair with some of the hair on the left side of her face tied with a hair clip and her eyes are light green in colour. This is Wakasa Yuuri, also a third-year at Megurigaoka Private High School and the president of the School Living Club.

"Kurumi-senpai! Yuuri-senpai! You heard the scream too?" Miki asked her upperclassmen.

"Yeah, something about a ball or something. I was closing my eyes for a bit at that time," replied Kurumi.

"We thought it was Yuki-chan who shouted but then we heard another scream and then another," said Yuuri. "By the way, where is Yuki right now, Miki-san?"

"This is no time to talk senpai," said Miki urgently. "Yuki-senpai and another person are in danger," informed Miki while pointing to the windows.

"What d'you mean that Yuki is in danger, and who is this other person?" Kurumi enquired as she walked towards the windows and froze when she gazed at the scene below her.

"Ri-san, come here and take a look," Kurumi asked Yuuri to join her.

Yuuri joined Kurumi at the broken glass windows and she too was shocked. "That's Yuki-chan!" She exclaimed in shock. "Why is she down there, and that boy holding the sword couldn't be…"

"Another survivor," Kurumi finished Yuuri's sentence. "Ri-san, I'm going down to help them."

"No!" Yuuri protested. "How are you even going to get down there?"

"We need a long rope Yuuri-senpai," Miki gives her suggestion. "Kurumi-senpai can then climb down and bring them up."

"That's a good idea, Miki," Kurumi agreed. "I think there're some thick ropes stored inside the clubroom. Come with me Miki, we have to get them fast."

"Alright, senpai!" Miki and Kurumi then ran to the clubroom to get the ropes, leaving Yuuri alone in the hallway.

Yuuri clasped her hands together and prayed, "Yuki-chan, please be safe."

* * *

I was still watching the girl with the strange hat swinging her backpack at the undead while still avoiding being bitten by them. After watching her for a few moments, she started to look more and more familiar. It took a couple of seconds later before I remembered that the girl is Takeya Yuki-san, the girl in my class that was second in laziness only to me. I don't know how I could forget her(and her hat).

Takeya-san came closer and closer to my position. I cried in joy inwardly for getting help(although looking back, I sometimes cry for actually hoping for a girl to save me) but the joy turned into despair when Takeya-san's backpack was caught by one of the undead who snatched it and tossed it behind. The undead then proceeded to grab her hands, preventing her from escaping. I could see that she was very scared. Our distance was only a meter apart and I stretched my left hand towards her and she does the same. Our hands touched only for a second before separating as those undead dragged Takeya-san away from me.

"Kiriha-kun!" I heard Takeya-san calling my name but I was unable to do anything. I've never felt so helpless in my entire life which is going to end soon if I didn't do anything.

'Am I really just going to let a person die right in front of my eyes.'


	7. Chapter 7: I'll Turn The Tables Around

Chapter 7 - I'll Turn The Tables Around

'Am I really just going to let a person die right in front of my eyes.'

I asked the question to myself but even though I know the answer, I don't have the strength to fulfill it. So, I continue struggling in vain from the grasp of the undead.

'Damn it!' I cursed my weakness. 'If only I was stronger like Sakaki or Shuuya.' At that moment, I remembered the question I asked them about a year ago.

* * *

" _Hey Sakaki, Shuuya. Can I ask you guys a question."_

 _We were sitting in the cafeteria during lunch. Shuuya's got a bento box given by a cute girl from the neighboring class("Lucky guy," Sakaki said) while Sakaki also had a bento box brought from home made by his little sister("I wonder why Maki-chan made a bento for you almost everyday," said Shuuya) and me, well I'm just eating a cinnamon bread that Ruiko bought for me yesterday that I forgot to eat and a grape-flavoured juice. If it was any normal person they would definitely feel left out, being the only one that eats lightly but thankfully, I'm never one to care much about these trivial things._

 _"Oh Yuuta, about what? About how to get yourself a bento made by a cute girl just like us," Sakaki said with a wide grin._

 _"Huh, you know I don't really care about that kind of stuff," I brushed away his joke._

 _"Okay okay. So what do you want to ask?"_

 _"Yeah. It sounds serious."_

 _Sakaki and Shuuya both looked at me and waited for my question. I finished my bread before turning to them._

 _"Well, I just want to ask why would you two want to be friends with me?," I addressed the issue that has been in my mind ever since elementary school._

 _Sakaki and Shuuya had a surprised look on their face. After a few second, Sakaki started laughing while Shuuya just smiled._

 _"Really Yuuta, that's what you wanted to ask. And here I thought it was some urgent life-or-death question," Sakaki giggled._

 _"This is important too you know. I mean, you two are the most popular students in middle school and high school while I'm just an average guy with no speciality whatsoever except for absolute laziness," I retorted. "What I do remember were you guys suddenly appearing on my desk and said, "Let's be friends!". I think that was during elementary school in first grade."_

 _"Kiriha," Shuuya suddenly voices, "We've been childhood friends for so long and you never ask us about it?"_

 _"My memory is not the best and you know it," I replied._

 _"Well, there is a reason why we want to be friends with you at that time. It's because of something that we saw one day when we were in first grade…," Sakaki began his story._

 _"School had just ended that day and I was walking home alone in the streets. I didn't look where I was going and I bumped into someone and we both fell."_

 _"That person was me." Shuuya interrupted._

 _"Yes, the person is Shuuya and we both hastily apologized to each other. Then, we introduced ourselves and shook hands. You could say that we became friends immediately. I found Shuuya to be a really good-natured person…"_

 _"While I could tell that Sakaki-san is a cheerful person."_

 _"I was so happy to find a friend and we talked about our hobbies, families and other things that friends talk about. Then, we arrived at the park and we heard voices of someone laughing._

 _"I and Sakaki-san crept into some bushes and peered behind it to find what happened. There, we saw three boys that seem two years older than us picking on a small girl about our age while holding a piece of cloth."_

 _"The girl was crying and I was just about to come out of hiding but Shuuya pulled me back down because he said that even the two of us couldn't stop them."_

 _"So we were discussing what should we do when we heard the voice of another person. We peeked from the bushes to find there was a boy, about our age standing between the older kids and the little girl."_

 _"We heard the boy asking the older kids to stop picking on the girl but they just laughed and one of them punched the boy in the stomach and he fell on his knees. I got ready to help but what I saw shocked me."_

 _"The boy got up and punched one of the kid so fast we couldn't see it, but what we saw was the look on his eyes. It was a look full of determination to protect a person, even when the odds were against him, he would turn the tables around. It was a look that we would forever remember."_

 _"The other kids retaliated and started attacking the boy but he didn't falter and continued fending them off. The older kids eventually ran away crying, leaving the boy and the girl. The boy then picked the piece of cloth and gave it to the girl, with the girl smiling in the end."_

 _"It was at that point that we made up our mind to be like the boy, one who helps people in trouble with determination and courage. After the boy left the park, we decided to find the boy the next day and be friends with him. As it turned out, the boy was in our class and we approached the boy's desk."_

 _"And the boy is…" I spoke after listening to their story._

 _"The boy is you, Yuuta," revealed Sakaki._

 _"So you two decided to be friends with me because you saw me save somebody?" both of them nodded. "Well, what you just told me do seem familiar but I couldn't remember it clearly," I shook my head._

 _"Huh, it's fine Yuuta. It happened a long time ago after all," Sakaki patted my back. "Just remember, we still look up to you even after all these years."_

 _"Sakaki-san's right," Shuuya interjected. "We still cannot do the one thing that you do the best."_

 _"And what is that thing?" I asked them and they answered back with a smile on their face._

 _"When a person is in danger, you can turn the tables around and save them even when the odds are against you."_

* * *

'That's right!' I snapped back into reality after I remembered the phrase that they said to me. 'Even when the odds are against me, I will turn the tables around to save a person in danger.' my sword started glowing weakly but I didn't notice. 'Takeya-san's in danger. What am I still doing here? I need to get to her and save her. There's no way I'll let these creatures stop me,' determination boils in my blood and my sword glows brighter. 'If these things want to hurt me then they're free to try, but I will never let them touch another person again,' little by little, the undead hold on me loosened as the light from my sword intensified.

"I will protect Takeya-san, for my name is… Kiriha Yuuta!" I screamed my name while holding my sword high above me. The sword glows brightly like a second sun, causing the undead to leave me alone.

I then rushed over to Takeya-san and cut the undead that were holding her down. I crouched down and asked her, "Are you alright Takeya-san? You're not injured anywhere right?" while holding her hand.

"Erm, y-yeah I'm a-alright K-Kiriha-kun," Yuki answered nervously, both from fright and for being held by a boy, she never thought that the always-sleeping Kiriha-kun would help her. She was blushing when Yuuta helped her stand again.

After Takeya-san got back on her feet, we discovered that the undead has surrounded us yet again. I glanced around and saw a rope dangling from a window in the second floor. I suspected Takeya-san came down by that rope and made that my destination to go. The undead meanwhile were coming closer with each step and when I looked at Takeya-san, I could tell that she's about to cry. However, I calmly stepped in front of her, shielding her from the undead and spoke to her, "Don't worry, I'll protect you," with a determined tone in my voice.

Yuki blushed even harder when Yuuta uttered those words but she also felt a sense of deja vu, almost like she had been in the situation before. When she looked again at Yuuta's back, she saw briefly the image of a little boy with his back on her.

"Kiriha-kun?" memories from her childhood temporarily reemerged before she shook her head and snapped back to reality to notice that Yuuta had taken a fighting stance.

I took a fighting stance with the sword, sheathed, on my left waist with my right hand on the handle and my left hand on the scabbard. I have noticed the sword's glow earlier and thinking back, it reacted towards my resolve to protect Takeya-san. The undead came closer to our position and I focused my energy onto the sword.

"I won't let you hurt her or anyone else again. I'll protect her and everyone who's dear to me. This is my promise, and I will fulfill it… on my life!" I screamed and as I unsheathed the sword and did a 360° round-slash around Takeya-san aiming at the undead around us. They were cut in half and fell down. Taking that chance, I grabbed Takeya-san's hand and ran towards the rope dangling from the window before any more of the undead chase us.

"Here Takeya-san, you climb first." I let Takeya-san climb the rope first. She complied and started going up the rope. I swing my sword at the remaining undead that wasn't hit by my round-slash earlier.

"Kiriha-kun! Hurry!" I heard Takeya-san's voice and sheathed the sword again, then I jumped towards the rope and having successfully gripped it, I proceeded to climb. I spotted Takeya-san's hand reaching to me and grabbed it. She then pulled me up into the window.

Unfortunately, my feet tripped on the windowsill and as a result, we both fell with me being on top of Takeya-san.

"Oww. That hurt Kiriha-kun." Takeya-san spoke her displeasure of being a cushion for a fallen human being.

"Yeah, sorry about that," I smiled sheepishly after getting myself off her body.

"Hmm," she pouted which is very cute in my opinion, but then turned into a bright smile. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Yeah, same here," I replied her with an equally bright smile.

"Ehem." I heard a sound coming from my right and saw a purple—haired twintailed girl with two more girls behind her. The purple–haired girl, in particular, had a very pissed look on her face for reasons that I don't know. "Could you remove your hand from Yuki now."

I turned to look where my hands were and I was stunned. My right hand was on top of Takeya-san's breast. 'I thought this kind of things only happens in animes!' was what I thought. Takeya-san also had realised where my hand was touching and her face turned redder than a strawberry. I immediately get up from Takeya-san and bowed in apology, repeatedly at her.

It seems, however, that the purple–haired girl was not so forgiving about her friend being defiled by a stranger(her words) and smacked me in the head, hard, with a shovel(why would a girl carry a shovel?), where I then fell and slowly drift into unconsciousness.

'So this is how I die huh? Getting smacked in the head by a girl. At least it's a cute girl. Now I can brag at Sakaki in the afterlife,' that was my last thought before I black out.


	8. Chapter 8: Rude Awakening And New Member

Chapter 8 - Rude Awakening And New Member

"…ke…p"

I heard a voice, a quite rough voice, calling out to me.

"Wa…up…ou"

The voice is speaking again, beckoning me to wake up, but I'm feeling comfortable right now so it's a pass.

"Hey you, wake up already!"

"Waaaah!"

The voice shouted into my left ear, causing me to startle and got up immediately while shouting like a madman.

"PAAAANG"

I felt something hard made of metal hit me on the back of my head and I passed out again.

* * *

"Hey…ke…p"

I heard another voice, this one much softer and gentler than the previous.

"Please wake up."

I complied to the voice and raised my head, although maybe a bit sudden. My face hit two soft and fluffy somethings. They were round and big by what I could feel. I opened my eyes to see what I had touched.

"PAAAAP"

Unfortunately, before I could open my eyes I was slapped in the face. The force behind the slap was so great that my head twisted and as a result, I fainted yet again.

* * *

"Wake up."

Again, I heard a voice. This one was loud but it was not rough like the first one, just loud.

"Hey, you can't sleep forever."

The voice tried to wake me up and in addition, I felt my body being shaken. My body continued being shaken as the person shaking it was putting an effort in getting me out of sleep.

"Grrr"

I groaned in annoyance and turned my body to be more comfortable. Unexpectedly, my right hand caught something in its grasp and I subconsciously pulled it.

"YAAAAAH!"

A loud shriek alerted me but as I rub my eyes to see my surroundings, I was met with the force of a hard and I assumed thick object hitting my head. 'I swear if I get another hit on the head I will turn into a complete amnesiac,'. After that thought, I blacked out(again!).

* * *

"Hey everyone!"

Yuki entered the School-Living clubroom while greeting energetically to the peoples inside the room.

"Erm, hey Yuki," Kurumi said without looking at her direction while hiding her shovel behind her back.

"My, my, good afternoon Yuki-chan," replied Yuuri while folding her arms and keeping them close to her chest, also not looking at Yuki.

"You don't have to be so loud senpai," said Miki reading her book while she holds her skirt tightly with one hand and averting her gaze from Yuki.

"What's wrong with all of you?," Yuki asked them. Their behavior was so suspicious that even an idiot like Yuki knows there's something wrong.

"It's nothing Yuki, really," Kurumi said but saying that while gazing out of the window doesn't make Yuki more convinced.

"Hmmm," Yuki stared at them but after a few moments decided to let the matter slide. "Anyway, is Kiriha-kun not awake yet?" Yuki asked her friends as she pointed at the sleeping figure of Yuuta on the couch.

"It seems that he's very hard to wake up Yuki-chan," said Yuuri.

Yuki came closer to the couch Yuuta was sleeping on. "Well, that's not surprising since Kiriha-kun always sleeps in class and it's difficult to arouse him from his slumber," Yuki said informatively to the other three.

"What do you mean 'he always sleeps in class' Yuki-senpai," asked Miki looking up from her book.

"Yeah. You mean that he's lazier than you," Kurumi enquired.

"That's mean Kurumi-chan," Yuki pouts, "And yes, whenever I see him in class he's always dozing off and even in PE class he sleeps at the sidelines," Yuki answers Miki's question.

"Yuki-chan, you call him Kiriha-kun, does that mean you know each other?," Yuuri questioned her.

Yuki thought hard on how to answer the question but on that moment, Yuuta stirred in his sleep due to how loud Yuki's voice was.

"Kiriha-kun, wake up," Yuki shook Yuuta's body vehemently that any normal person would wake up immediately but since this is Yuuta we're talking about, he just groans in displeasure and shifted his position.

"Takeya-san, you shouldn't bother a person when he's sleeping," Sakura Megumi, the club advisor, otherwise called Megu-nee, reminded her.

"You should be careful Yuki," Kurumi advised her. "He may behave strangely when he wakes up."

Yuki looked questioningly at Kurumi and ignoring Megu-nee's words, she kept shaking Yuuta while calling out to him. Yuuta, now very irritated decided to open his eyes slowly, only to be met by Yuki's face mere centimeters away from his.

Yuuta's face flushed a deep red colour and he rolled sideways, falling to the floor. He rubbed his head and then his eyes, trying to make sense of his surroundings.

He saw a purple-haired twintail girl, a girl with long brown hair and another girl with short white hair. On his side, there was Yuki crouching down and looking at him with worried eyes.

"Are you okay Kiriha-kun?," Yuki asked worriedly.

Yuuta rubbed his head again. For some reason, his head hurt a lot and there was a stinging sensation on his right cheek. "Yeah, I'm alright Takeya-san, but my head and face hurts so badly right now," he replied.

Yuuta took a glance at the three other girls and saw that their face was red although he did not know why. With some difficulty, he rises to his feet and sat on the couch.

"Uugh. Where am I?," Yuuta asked as he took a look around. It seems he's in a room of sorts.

"You're in the School-Living clubroom," the girl with brown hair spoke. "My name is Wakasa Yuuri, the club president. This is Ebisuzawa Kurumi-san," she gestured at the purple-haired girl. She just hmphed at me. "And this is Naoki Miki-san," she pointed at the girl with white hair, currently reading a book. The girl in question peeked shyly from the book while muttering a meek "Hello".

"I'm Takeya Yuki. It's nice to meet you Kiriha-kun," Yuki exclaimed.

"Yeah, same here," Yuuta smiled at her.

"It seems that Yuki-chan knows you, so would you mind introducing yourself to us Kiriha-kun," Yuuri asked him.

"I don't mind." Yuuta stood from the couch and begin, "My name is Kiriha Yuuta, third-year at Megurigaoka Private High School class 3–C. It's a pleasure to meet you all," I bowed down.

"So you're in Yuki's class huh. No wonder you know each other," Kurumi said with a menacing tone.

"Yeah, but I never talked to him in class," said Yuki.

"That's because you always sleep in class Takeya-san."

"But you sleep much longer than me Yuu-kun," Yuki pouted.

"Yuu-kun?" the other four people said with question marks.

"Yeah. Your name is Yuuta so I shortened it to Yuu-kun," Yuki said with a smile.

"We really need to talk about you giving nicknames to other peoples Yuki-senpai," said Miki in irritation.

"But it sounds cute. You don't mind right Kiriha-kun?," Yuki asked him.

"No, it's fine. I don't really care much about trivial things like this."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Then you can call me Yuki."

"Alright."

"They get along too well, don't you think so Ri-san," Kurumi said to Yuuri only to notice that she looked like she was thinking hard.

"What is it Ri-san?" she asked.

"Ah, it's nothing," Yuuri shook her head. "It's just that the name Kiriha Yuuta sounds familiar," Yuuri continued thinking until she claps her hand as she remembers where she heard the name.

"Kiriha Yuuta-kun," Yuuri spoke.

"Err, yeah Wakasa-san?," Yuuta replied nervously.

"You can just call me Ri-san," Yuuta nodded at that. "Anyway, you're a member of the Gardening Club right?," Yuuri asked him.

'Crap. I didn't think she would remember that,' Yuuta thought. Of course, he remembered earlier that Yuuri was also in the Gardening Club like him.

"Eh. Yuu-kun is a member of the Gardening Club too?" Yuki questioned Yuuri. "But I never see him on the roof garden."

"That's because he only ever joined the club activities once and he never came by again," Yuuri replied.

"I've also heard of his name," Miki piped up. "The things I heard is that he always got into trouble by being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"So he's a troublemaker huh," Kurumi smirked.

"That's not true," Yuuta waved his hand in front of him. "All those troubles are caused by my friend and I'm just unlucky to be with him when he does that."

"Yeah. Yuu-kun is a nice guy," Yuki defended him.

"You don't have to defend him that badly Yuki," said Kurumi. Yuki blushed a little and apologized before remembering something important.

"Oh no! I forgot Megu-nee," Yuki turned his head to see a sulking teacher. "I'm sorry Megu-nee,"

"It's okay Takeya-san," Megu-nee said to Yuki.

Yuki pulled her teacher's hand and showed her to Yuuta. "And this is Megu-nee, our club advisor," Yuki exclaimed enthusiastically. Yuuta however, only stared at her confusedly.

"Hmm, why are you not responding Yuu-kun?," Yuki asked.

"Takeya-san," Megu-nee spoke. "I teach Kiriha-san too so he already knows who I am."

"Ah, that's right! I forgot. Hehehehe," Yuki laughed.

Yuuta was about to open his mouth to say something but Yuuri intercepted him. "Yuki-chan, I'm sure Kiriha-kun must be thirsty now that he's awake. Why don't you make us some tea while we talk to him."

"Okay!," Yuki agreed and made her way towards the door.

"Wait, Yuki-senpai," Miki rose from her seat. "I'll help you. You're most probably going to spill the tea."

"Come on Mii-kun, I'm not so clumsy,' Yuki retorted.

"You _are_ clumsy, and please stop calling me Mii-kun," Miki replied.

When the two girls were not heard anymore, Yuuta decided to speak up. "So, where is Megu-nee?" he asked the remaining two.

"Well… I don't know how to explain it to you," Kurumi said.

"Let me tell her, Kurumi, Yuuri stopped her. "So… Kiriha-kun right?"

"Just call me Yuuta."

"Okay, Yuuta-kun. Actually, Yuki-chan is…"

"…"

"And that's the situation," Yuuri finished her explanation.

Yuuta closed his eyes to try and absorb the information he just heard. "So you mean that to Yuki, the outbreak never happened and she still goes to class, oblivious to her surroundings."

"Yes, that's right," Yuuri answered.

"And you didn't correct her illusion because you want to protect her," Yuuta asked in which Yuuri nodded.

"But this morning she rushed over to save me."

"Yeah, the same thing happened with Miki when we saved her from the mall," Kurumi replied.

"The mall? You mean Naoki-san was the one in the mall?"

"Yes. How did you know that?" asked Kurumi.

"When I went to the mall a while ago, I noticed there were signs of a person living in there," Yuuta said. "And then I followed the tyre tracks I found in front of the mall."

"Anyway, it seems that when someone is in danger Yuki-chan's illusion temporarily breaks and she acts recklessly to save the person. But it usually worked out in the end," informed Yuuri.

"And Megu-nee is also part of her illusion?," asked Yuuta.

Yuuri nodded. "She died protecting us and her death is the cause of Yuki-chan's illusion."

There was a moment's silence after that until Yuuta remembered a question he wants to ask. "Hey, there's something I want to ask–"

"Hey, everyone! We've brought the tea and some biscuits too."

However, his question was interrupted by the arrival of Yuki and Miki, the former holding a tin of biscuits while the latter was carrying a tray of tea.

Miki placed the tray on the table and offered a cup to Yuuta. "Here Kiriha-senpai."

"Thanks, Naoki-san. And you can just call me Yuuta," Yuuta accepted the cup of tea.

"Then you can call me Miki, Yuuta-senpai," said Miki shyly.

Yuuta sipped the tea slowly. "Aaah." The taste and aroma bringing relief to his mind and body.

"I didn't know we still have tea packets Ri-san," Kurumi spoke.

"These are our last supply and I reserved it for occasions like this," answered Yuuri.

"Hey hey, Yuu-kun," Yuki sat on the couch next to Yuuta and brought her face close to his.

"What is it Yuki?," said Yuuta, a little uncomfortable of their close distance.

"Do you want to join the School-Living Club?," questioned Yuki.

"School-Living Club?," Yuuta repeated with confusion.

"Ah yes, we forgot to recruit you," said Kurumi.

"What's the School-Living Club?," Yuuta asked.

"The School-Living Club is a club where we stayed in school and we do all sort of fun stuff inside it," replied Yuki.

"Are you interested in joining us?" Yuuri asked. Yuuta crossed his arms and thought hard about the offer. "Of course, we won't force you to join and you're free to make your own decision and–."

"I'll join," said Yuuta.

"Eh?," Yuuri was surprised.

"I said I'll join the School-Living Club," Yuuta clarified.

"EEEHHHH!," the three girls, besides Yuki, shrieked in surprise.

"Gosh. Indoor voices please," Yuuta winced at the noise.

"You're just going to join like that? No questions asked? You don't suspect us of anything? You trust us completely?" Kurumi barraged him with questions.

"Like I said before I don't really care about such trivial things," Yuuta answered. "And also, it would be nice to be with other people again."

"Yeah! Isn't this great Mii-kun," Yuki jumped in joy. "We get another member."

"Are you sure about this Yuuta-senpai?" Miki asked him.

"Yes, I'm sure about this. I mean, it doesn't hurt to join right," Yuuta said while looking at the jumping Yuki.

"Woof woof"

Just then, a small brown object entered the room and jumped on Yuuta's lap. Yuuta was surprised at first but he immediately calmed down when he saw that the object was a small puppy with black eyes and brown fur. The dog panted and he petted it.

"Ahh Taroumaru," Miki exclaimed in shock. "You shouldn't jump on other people like that."

"It's okay Miki. I don't mind and he looks very happy with me," said Yuuta as he continued petting Taroumaru.

The others looked at the scene with glee except for Miki who was feeling very jealous of Yuuta, and Yuki who was just staring at the scene.

"Hey Yuu-kun," Yuki spoke up.

"Hmm? What is it Yuki?," Yuuta turned his head at Yuki.

"Would you pet my head too?"

Time seemed to stop when Yuki uttered that request as no one except for Taroumaru moved their body. Only the ticking of the clock could be heard. The silence was eventually broken when Yuuri spoke.

"And why would you want that Yuki-chan?"

"It's just that Taroumaru looked so happy when Yuu-kun petted him so I want to try it too," Yuki explained. "Is it wrong Ri-san?"

"Well…," Yuuri couldn't think of anything to say so she resigned. "I think it depends on whether Yuuta-kun wants to do it or not."

Every pair of eyes in the room turned to Yuuta and he started to feel nervous of their stares. Yuki came closer to him and said with pleading eyes, "Can you please pet my head Yuu-kun, please?"

Yuuta tried to resist the look on Yuki's eyes but ultimately failed and decided to comply with Yuki's request. He moved his right hand and placed it on Yuki's head, then he petted it.

"Hmm~," Yuki was experiencing a feeling of bliss and happiness while Yuuta, although embarrassed at first, started to feel comfortable as he was savouring the sensation of Yuki's head.

"Aahhh~," Yuuri and Miki was watching the event with a dreamy look. The only person who seemed discontent with the situation was Kurumi as she swung her shovel at Yuuta's hand and he reflexively pulled back his hand not a second too late.

"Yuki, you shouldn't easily let a person pet you on the head," he advised Yuki angrily. "And you two," she glanced at Yuuri and Miki, "Snap out of it!"

Yuuri and Miki snapped out of their dreamy state and looked away from Kurumi, embarrassed. As for Yuki and Yuuta, their face turned red as they realized what they were doing earlier.

'Yuu-kun's hand feels so warm and big, what's this feeling in my chest?'

'Damn. Yuki's head felt so nice and soft that I want to touch it forever. Why am I blushing, though?'

"Looks like the sun is setting," Yuuri's voice broke their train of thought. "We should call it a day and go to bed right?," Yuuri asked in which the others agreed.

Yuki and Miki went out of the room first but Yuuta and Kurumi were stopped by Yuuri. "Ah, before I forgot," they turn back towards Yuuri, "Kurumi, would you mind showing Yuuta-kun his room? It's the room beside us."

"Ha? Why should I accompany him?," Kurumi spoke her displeasure.

Yuuri just stared at her with her closed eyes, "Maybe I should ask Yuki-chan instead," she said with a devious smile.

"Ah! Alright alright, I'll take him there," Kurumi stomped out of the room.

"Oh yeah Ri-san," Yuuri perked his head to listen to Yuuta. "Where's my bag and sword?"

"Ahh. I placed them outside this room."

"Thanks, Ri-san," after thanking Yuuri and grabbing his things, Yuuta ran and eventually catch up to Kurumi.

They walked in silence towards Yuuta's room until Yuuta remembered the question from before.

"Hey Ebisuzawa-san, can I ask you a question?"

"Just call me Kurumi, Ebisuzawa-san is too long to say. What is it?"

"You're Sakaki's girlfriend right?"

Kurumi froze in her steps. She hadn't heard that name for several months and she was beginning to forget it, but Yuuta's question caused her memory of Sakaki to resurface.

"How did you know Subara-kun's name?" Kurumi asked him.

"So it's true then, you really are his girlfriend and just like he said, you really are cute."

"C-c-cute?" Kurumi was blushing and gripping her shovel. "What's your relationship with Subara-kun huh?"

"That's easy. He's my best friend,"said Yuuta casually.

"You're Subara-kun's best friend," Kurumi sorted through her memory and remembered something Sakaki once said. "When I thought about it, Subara-kun did say the name Yuuta when we talked that one time. He said it's the name of his best friend that likes to sleep and can be very funny when he's awake."

"So that's what he told others about me huh," he sighed. "No wonder I never got a girlfriend."

"Ah, but he also said that his best friend, Yuuta was the person that he respects the most," Kurumi added.

"Really, that guy," he gazed towards the windows, "I wonder where he is right now."

Kurumi was about to open her mouth to say something but another person's voice alerted the two of them.

"Yuu-kun, Kurumi-chan. What are you two doing here," it was Yuki's voice. It seemed that while the two were talking, they have already arrived at their destination.

"Nothing Yuki, Kurumi's just showing me my room. Looks like my room is next to you girls," Yuuta informed her.

"Why don't you just sleep inside with us Yuu-kun?"

"Yuki-senpai, don't you have any shame at all," Miki appeared from inside the room. "There's no way a normal girl would allow a boy to sleep in the same room with her."

"It's okay Yuki, I don't want to invade your privacy after all," Yuuta replied. "Anyway, I better get some sleep. Thanks for the directions Kurumi," he disappeared into his room.

"Honestly, that guy," Kurumi sighed. Then she lowered her tone and said, "He's Subara-kun's friend, huh. I suppose I have to tell him," before entering the room with Yuki and Miki.

* * *

"Hmm, this room's not so bad looking" I said while looking at the room that Ri-san had given me. "The window's not broken and there doesn't seem to be any holes in the ceiling. With some cleaning, this should turn into a fine room to live in," I finished speaking.

I lie on the floor and stare at the ceiling. 'To think that I have finally found other survivors, I'm really grateful to god,' I turned my body to face the wall separating my room and the girls, 'But why does my heart beat faster when I'm close to Yuki. I don't remember if I ever had this feeling before,' I turned my body back to face the ceiling. 'Whatever, I finally found a place to belong and I don't intend to leave it anytime soon,' I close my eyes as I slowly start to sleep. Today's been one hell of a day after all.


	9. Chapter 9: Breakfast And A Study Session

Chapter 9 - Breakfast And A Study Session

I woke up inside my room with a yawn, "Aaahh." I look towards the windows and realized that the bright sunlight must have aroused me from my sleep. Standing up and looking from the windows, I figured that it must be early morning. Glancing at the courtyard, I also noticed that the amount of the undead were more than yesterday.

'How come their numbers are increasing?' I asked myself. 'Don't tell me they like going to school,' I gasped at the thought. "Heh, as if," I smirked upon the ridiculous theory. After stretching my body for a few minutes, I picked up my bag and sword and proceeded to the School-Living clubroom in the hopes of finding something to eat.

Getting close to the clubroom, my nose smelled a delicious aroma in the air. It was a heavenly aroma that I haven't smell in a long time. I arrived at the clubroom a while later and slide the door open.

"Good morning!," I greeted the members of the club.

"My, good morning Yuuta-kun," Ri-san replied from the kitchen stove, stirring something inside a pot which seems to be the origin of the wonderful smell.

"You seem awfully energetic today huh, Yuuta," came Kurumi's reply as she polishes her shovel.

"Good morning to you too, Yuuta-senpai," Miki glanced from her book on the table.

I went to Yuuri's direction. "Ri-san, is this smell what I think it is?," I asked her with hope in my voice.

"Hmm?" she glanced at me. "This is just curry, Yuuta-kun. Is this what you were expecting?"

"Ah. Curry," I sniffed some more of the smell. "I haven't tasted cooked food in such a long time," I drooled at the aroma.

"Oi! You're starting to sound like Yuki," Kurumi said. "And stop drooling on the floor. You're gonna make a mess."

"Don't you know how to cook senpai?" Miki questioned me.

I wiped the drool off my mouth before answering her question. "No, I never learned how to cook as I don't think I ever need that skill," I sat on a chair facing the door. "That, and my mother forbid me from using the kitchen to cook since an incident of my doing happened in there that caused the kitchen to be in a state of horror for any housewife," I added. You know what incident I'm talking about.

"A state of horror?" Kurumi repeated. "What did you do to make your kitchen in that state?"

"I'm sorry, but the details are sealed," I made a gesture of zipping my mouth in which Kurumi looked at me amusedly. At that time, Ri-san had finished preparing the food and placed five plates of rice and curry on the table.

"I'm sorry Yuuta-kun, but could you please sit elsewhere."

"Huh, why Ri-san?"

"That seat was Megu-nee's place so…" her voice drawled out.

"Stop. I understand," I rose from the chair and placed it on the other end of the table, facing the windows. "Anyways, is Yuki still sleeping? It's late morning now," I looked at the clock. 8:15 am.

"I'll go wake her up," Miki closed her book and stood up. "Can I borrow a ladle and a pot Yuuri-senpai."

"Here you go Miki-san," Yuuri handed her a ladle and a large pot. Miki then exited the room.

"I know I probably shouldn't ask this but," I began my question. "Why does Miki need a pot and a ladle to wake Yuki up?"

"My, a girl had to have a few secrets right?," Ri-san said with a smile.

I slumped my head onto the desk tiredly. The enticing smell of the meal in front of me was to hard to ignore, as so the faint grumbling of my stomach. 'It wouldn't hurt to eat now right. I'm sure Ri-san wouldn't mind,' I picked my spoon and was about to scoop the curry rice before something hit my hand.

"Ouch," looks like I was wrong. Eating before everyone is present can hurt.

"That's bad manners Yuuta-kun," Yuuri was holding a ladle in one hand. "We should wait for Yuki-chan and Miki-san to arrive so we can eat together. She pointed the ladle at me, "Am I clear."

For some reason, I can sense a dark aura permeating from her body and I quickly nodded my head. After that, I slumped my head on the desk again while waiting for Yuki and Miki to arrive.

The door opened suddenly and in came Yuki saying "I was right! It's curry" with both hands in the air.

"Good morning Yuki-chan," Yuuri greeted her.

"So you finally sniffed it out, huh?," said Kurumi. "Your reaction is faster than Yuuta."

"Good morning, Yuki," I also greeted her.

"Morning! I see we're starting the day on a good note," Yuki said energetically.

"Lately, we've been eating nothing but emergency rations," said Yuuri before adding, "Oh, but make sure to take your vitamin."

"So you don't eat like this everyday huh," I said disappointingly.

"Heh, sorry to get your hopes up Yuuta."

"It's fine Kurumi. I'll probably gain weight if I eat like this everyday."

"You're right, Yuu-kun," said Yuki. "I'll probably gain weight if I eat this…"

"My, my," Yuuri smiled.

"We're all still growing. One meal like this won't hurt," Miki consoled her.

"Exactly. We're still young!," Kurumi added.

"It's only at this age that we can do things without worrying about the consequences, huh?," I further said.

"Oh yeah!," Yuki exclaimed happily, although I sensed a negative aura from another being.

"Well, shall we eat?," Yuuri asked and after saying 'Idatakimasu', we began eating the meal. I savored the taste of curry with delight and gratitude as if it was the most delicious thing I've ever tasted.

"Thanks for breakfast!," Yuki exclaimed after finishing her meal. "Okay, I'm off to class."

"That's right," Megu-nee spoke. "Let's have a good one-on-one study session."

Yuki stood up suddenly, "One-on-one with Megu-nee…"

"What're you so excited about?" Kurumi asked her.

"Because it'll just be the two of us. It sounds like fun."

"Something tells me you don't plan to study," Kurumi said with an accusatory tone.

"Eep…" Yuki tensed up. "That's not true at all," she retorted in a non-convincing manner.

"Hey Yuki," Yuuta spoke suddenly. "Mind if I join you and Megu–nee?"

"You want to join us Yuu-kun?," Yuuta nodded at that. "But then it wouldn't be a one-on-one study session anymore."

"Well, they do say that the more the merrier right," said Yuuta with a smile. "Don't you think so, Megu-nee?," Yuuta directed his question at Megu-nee.

"I think it would be all right, Yuki-chan," she assured Yuki. "We can't stop a person who wants to learn."

"Is that so…" Yuki said in a low tone. In truth, it's not like she didn't want Yuuta to come but she wanted to keep her distance from him until she could find out what was the feeling present in her chest every time Yuuta is nearby.

"You don't have to join her, Yuuta-senpai," Miki peeked from her book. "There must be something else you can do."

Yuuta stood from her seat and made his way towards the door. "It's fine Miki. I don't really have anything to do in the moment," he said before adding with a grin, "Furthermore, this way I could check if she's really studying or not."

"Not you too, Yuu-kun!," Yuki pout at Yuuta's remark. "Well, I'm off then," Yuki opened the door and exited with Megu-nee. "See you later!"

"Take care," the other three members waved her off. Yuuta picked his bag and sword and stepped out to follow them but was stopped by a hand holding his shirt. He turned around to see it was Yuuri.

"What is it Ri-san?" he asked confusedly. Yuki's cheerful voice could be heard outside the room, chatting with Megu-nee.

"Yuuta-kun," Yuuri started. "Please take care of Yuki-chan," she said with a hint of worry in her request.

Yuuta's confused look reverted back to its usual gaze, "You don't have to worry Ri-san. I'll make sure she stays safe with me," said Yuuta, determination in his tone.

Yuuri breathed a sigh of relief at Yuuta's answer, before Kurumi added her own words, "But if you try to do anything to Yuki, you'll be dead meat," Kurumi said with a clear threat in her voice.

Yuuta waved his hands dismissively in front of him. "I-I promise I won't do anything like that to Yuki," his voice faltered for a moment and the others stared at him with doubtful gazes. "I-I'll see you later then," Yuuta quickly bolted out of the room.

"Do you think we can trust him, Yuuri-senpai?" Miki placed her book down and asked the School-Living Club president, to which she replied with a knowing smile, "Well, he does seem to care about Yuki-chan and there doesn't seem to be anything suspicious about him. So I guess we can at least have some faith in him… for now, that is," Yuuri finished.

"Heh, but if he tries to do anything suspicious, I'll just smack him on the head and beat him up," Kurumi voices her threat. However, after remembering their conversation the previous night and the dream she had that morning, she turned silent. 'I have to tell him eventually,' she thought.

"Then what about Yuki-senpai's condition," Miki voices out. "If we don't correct her it will be troublesome in the future. What if–" her voice was intercepted by Yuuri. "It is not troublesome," Yuuri said in a stern voice that frightened Miki. Upon realizing her voice, she immediately spoke in a much softer tone, "We're not experts. Why don't we just keep and eye on her for a bit longer?" Miki nodded at that.

Kurumi then stood from her chair and walked towards the door, clutching her shovel. "Well then! Ebisuzawa Kurumi is going out on morning patrol!" she exclaimed at the other two. They told her to take care and waved her off. She closed the door and went off on her way.

* * *

I'm sitting on my chair next to Yuki in our class. Yuki seemed to be paying attention to the board, listening to whatever Megu-nee in her delusion was teaching about. Me on the other hand, am just sitting here, staring lazily at the board with one hand supporting my head and the other one lying on the desk. This really does feel like a normal lesson to me, despite the battered condition of the classroom and the obvious small number of people. Also, the fact that I'm feeling very sleepy at the moment. Only a real class session can make me this drowsy.

'Ah, she stood up,' I watched standing up and going to the board to write something. Even though I don't know what the questions are, I could tell that Yuki got it wrong based on her reaction when she finished writing. 'Hehe,' I laughed a little inwardly. 'She really is cute,' I smiled. 'Wait, why did I think about that. It's not like I have any feelings for her, right?' I asked myself. As I thought about the possibility of me having feelings more than friends for Yuki, my eyes started closing further and further with each passing second, until my thought process grinds to a halt and I drifted to sleep.

* * *

"I'm exhausted," Yuki said as she slumped her head on the desk.

"Hang in there just a bit longer," encouraged Megu-nee. "Once our tutoring sessions over…"

"Summer vacation starts!," Yuki perked up.

"Is there anything you'd like to do, Takeya-san?," Megu-nee asked.

"Let's see… I wanna go to the beach, to the mountains and…," Megu-nee just listened to Yuki's ramblings with a worried expression on her face.

"Hey, Megu-nee!," Yuki's words brought her attention back. "What do you wanna do for our last summer vacation?" she asked her.

"Let me think," Megu-nee thought for a while. "A test of courage, maybe?" she gives a suggestion.

"Yeah, it's not summer without those!" she then remembered something. "What about you, Yuu-kun. Do you have any plans for summer vacation?," she directed the question to Yuuta, only to saw him dozing off on the desk beside her. "Mo~, You're supposed to check whether I'm studying or not Yuu-kun, but you're the one who's not paying attention," Yuki said with a pouty face.

"Huh, I know," Yuki got an idea in her head. "What is it Takeya-san?," Megu-nee inquired her. "Hehehe, maybe I can draw on his face while he's sleeping," said Yuki with an evil grin while holding a marker pen.

"What!? No, you shouldn't do that Takeya-san!," Megu-nee frantically moved her hands to stop Yuki.

"I'm joking Megu-nee. Joke, joke," Yuki said which caused relief for Megu-nee. However, Yuki was still staring at Yuuta's sleeping face, 'Yuu-kun looks so cute when he's like this,' Yuki thought and she proceeded to prod Yuuta's cheek with her index finger. Yuuta's face flinched a little but otherwise, there's no reaction from him. Yuki bowed down to Yuuta's face level until their face were so close that she could feel his breath. Yuki stared at Yuuta's lips and subconsciously brought her face closer and closer.

"What are you doing, Takeya-san?"

Megu-nee's voice brought Yuki back to reality and she immediately backed away from Yuuta's desk. Her face was bright red as she held it with both of her hands. 'W-w-what was I doing? W-w-why is my heart beating so fast?' Yuki questioned herself for her earlier actions. Megu-nee just looked at her with an amused and knowing smile on her face.

Just then, Yuuta awoke from her slumber which startled Yuki and caused her to jump a little. Yuuta flexed his body a little and gazed at his surroundings. He noticed Yuki staring nervously at him as if she was surprised by him. "What's the matter Yuki?" he asked her.

"Ah, n-n-nothing Yuu-kun. Hahahaha," Yuki started to laugh awkwardly that only serves to make Yuuta more suspicious. Yuki decided to change the subject to get her out of the situation. "Ne, Yuu-kun. Why don't we do a test of courage tonight?" she asked.

"A test of courage?," Yuuta repeated. "Is there any reason for doing it?," Yuuta inquired.

"Well, Megu-nee suggested it so I figured we could do it for our last summer vacation in high school," Yuki explained to him.

"Oh yeah. It's summer vacation already huh," Yuuta spoke in a low voice. "Sure, let's do it. It's not like we have anything else to do anyway," Yuuta gave his confirmation.

"Yeah! Let's go tell the others quickly," Yuki picked up her bag and sprinted towards the door. "Hurry up, Yuu-kun!," Yuki held her hand at Yuuta.

"Just a minute, Yuki!," Yuuta picked his own bag and sword and reached towards Yuki's hand. The moment they touched, however, they immediately pulled back their hands and stare bashfully at the floor.

'W-why am I embarrassed to hold her hand right now? It's just holding hands. I've held it once before so it shouldn't be a big deal.'

'My hand just moved on its own when they touch Yuu-kun's hand. I've held hands with Kurumi-chan and Mii-kun before so it shouldn't be different, after all, it's just Yuu-kun.'

"W-we should be going now right?," Yuuta spoke after a minute of silence. Yuki nodded meekly as a response.

They stopped by the clubroom first to pick up Taroumaru, in which Yuki placed a cloth shaped like a ghost headdress on him. After searching for a while, they found the other club members on the rooftop where Yuki announced her plan immediately. They just stared at her blankly while Yuuta explained the plan to them, and Yuuri agreed to it. Yuuta also had to convince Kurumi that he wasn't doing anything weird to Yuki, lest he would get smacked on the head.

After a little more planning, they waited until nightfall arrives. Once the moon had shown herself, the members of the School-Living Club walked towards one of the barricades in the school.

For their test of courage.


	10. Chapter 10: Courage Test and Revelations

Chapter 10 - Courage Test And Revelations

"Tap, tap, tap"

The sound of footsteps echo in the empty corridor. Four girls and a boy were walking through the hallways to a destination.

"Hmm. Hmm. Hmm," Yuki hummed happily as everyone walked towards the barricade on the floor. Yuki was upfront while Kurumi, Yuuri, and Miki were behind her with Yuuta last on the line.

After several minutes of uneventful walking, the group reached the barricade.

"Here, Yuki. You go first. I'll boost you up," Yuuta said as he gestured to Yuki. Kurumi however, didn't agree and suggested that Yuuta climbed first. "Nope. You climb first. It'll be much safer like that."

"Well, okay," Yuuta complied and proceeded to climb the wall of desks. Once he reached the top, he jumped down and landed on the floor. "Okay, the line is clear. You can come here now."

"First of all, you, turn around," Kurumi spoke fiercely. Yuuta questioned the order, to which she replied, "So that you can't peek at our underwear when we descent." The reply caused Yuuta cheek to go red as he denied the accusation while the girls giggled at him.

Nevertheless, Yuuta turned his back on the girls until they have all climbed down. By the way, Miki slipped on her way down and landed on Yuuri's chest which she immediately backed away, apologizing sheepishly.

"All right, let's go!," Yuki exclaimed and went ahead, carrying Taroumaru in her arms, followed by Yuuta.

"Should we really be doing this?" Miki asked. We're all on the wrong side of the barricade at once."

"Well, we've been running low on supplies and I was thinking that we need to come here soon," said Yuuri. "And I'd be more worried about letting Yuki-chan, even with Yuuta-kun beside her, go by themselves."

Kurumi looked solemnly at the room where she placed the undead that she'd taken out earlier. "Kurumi?," Yuuri's words brought her back from her melancholy. "Ah yes. Let's go now."

"Hey, guys!," Yuki called from ahead of them. "You're not going to send me and Yuu-kun off and ditch us would you," with tears streaming down her and Taroumaru's face. Meanwhile, Yuuta stood beside her, looking out of the window. 'I wonder if there's anyone else from school that survives.'

"Idiot," Kurumi's voice brought him back from his thought. "Like I'd let you and Yuuta go on your own," Kurumi slings her arm on Yuki and spoke conspiratorially, "What if he did something to you. I still don't quite trust this guy."

Yuuta just shook her head, too tired to deny her, and they resumed their journey. Yuki repeated cheerfully 'test of courage' at the front of the group.

"I don't really see them come out at night," Miki spoke quietly.

"No… Maybe they've all gone to their homes," said Yuuri.

"Memories of their old lives again?"

"Hey!," Kurumi scolded Yuki. "Act a little more scared."

"Ehh. Kurumi-chan, don't tell me you're scared of ghosts! Fufufu!," Yuki laughed. 'Ah. I may just ditch her after all', Kurumi said in her heart.

Yuuta peeked from the corner to confirm there were no undead nearby. He held his sword tightly, ready to unsheathe it if danger comes.

"No ghosts here," Yuki said disappointingly. "Looks like we're okay for now. But ghosts can jump out at any time, so keep you voice down," Yuuri advised her.

"Ah, its Megu-nee!," Yuki shouted and ran towards Megu-nee. "Now, now. You need to keep quiet. Didn't you hear Ri-san?," Megu-nee reminded her. "Yes, madam," Yuki whispered inside Megu-nee's ear.

"You're here too, Megu-nee?"

"Megu-nee. Thanks for your help."

"Y-Yes, thank you."

"It's good to have a kind teacher around."

Kurumi, Yuuri, Miki and Yuuta greeted her. "Now, let me explain how–…," Megu-nee started explaining about the test of courage…

"Let me explain how this test works," but she was intercepted by Yuuri. "This test of courage will be held in the school store and the library. If anyone should get separated, remain completely silent and return here."

"Hai," the others agreed and began proceeding to the first place, while Megu-nee was sulking behind.

They entered the school store and Yuuri turned on the light. "Is it safe to turn the lights on?" Miki asked worriedly. "This room doesn't have any windows visible from outside, so they shouldn't be able to see the light. As long as we keep an eye on the entrance here," Yuuri replied.

"I haven't been here in ages," Yuki rushed inside the store. "Woo. Hey, can I buy whatever I want?"

"The club will cover the cost, so that's fine."

"Yay!" Yuki ran inside after hearing Yuuri's answer. "Of course, she's going for the candy," Kurumi said. "Yup," Miki agreed. "As we thought," Yuuri added. "Now let's get the other items we need."

"Ri-san, I'm going to guard the entrance here, okay," Yuuta spoke. "If you want Yuuta-kun. I'd be more assured then."

The rest of the club looked inside the store in search of the things they needed while Yuki was looking at the snacks and Yuuta guarding the entrance. Suddenly, they heard Yuki's call.

Yuuta sprinted towards Yuki's position, "Yuki!". "What happened?!", "Yuki-chan!", Kurumi, Yuuri, and Miki followed shortly. Yuki turned around and showed them a packet of balloons, "Check these out! They inflate 20 times their size!" the others looked at her with dully. "Isn't that awesome? Not twice, 20 times! This is a huge victory for science!" she continued.

"That's why you called us over?" Kurumi asked.

"Yup, that's right," anger marks showed on the other's face at Yuki's answer and Kurumi began to choke her with a clipper in anger, "Don't freak us out during a test of courage!", "S–Sorry…" Yuki squeaked. Yuuta sighed and he didn't even bother to rescue Yuki.

After Yuki was finally released from the clutches of the demonic clipper, they still brought along the balloons along with the other things they needed and went to their second destination, the library.

"The library's next, huh?," Kurumi said, eating a Nummy Stick.

"I need some math reference books," said Yuuri, also eating a Nummy Stick.

"I'd like to get some books myself," said Miki as she opened another packet of Nummy Stick.

"I want manga," Yuki said while eating a Nummy Stick, as do Taroumaru that she's holding in her arms.

"I guesh I can findsh shome novelsh too," Yuuta spoke, mouth full of snacks.

The group arrived at the school library, "It's dark in here. Can we turn on the lights?" Yuki asked. "We could, but then this room would be too easy for people outside to see," replied Yuuri. "Oh yeah! This _is_ a test of courage," Yuki remembered.

Once inside, Taroumaru began trembling in Yuki's hold. "What's wrong, Taroumaru?". "Maybe he's scared to go inside," Yuuri suggested.

"Then I'll wait out here with you. Okay, Taroumaru?" Miki spoke to Taroumaru, only for him to turn his head away from her. The rejected Miki still called out to Taroumaru in a depressing voice. "Um, I'll wait here too. I'm worried about you guys," Kurumi proposed.

"We'll go in then," Yuuri said and she went inside with Yuki, Yuuta, and Megu-nee. "Can you put down the Nummy Stick already," Kurumi voices her displeasure at Miki. "I'll see what I can do."

"Textbooks, workbooks …" Yuuri was browsing the shelves of reference books. "Wah. You're so studious Ri-san," Yuki complimented. "No, these are for you Yuki-chan. You told me you had some problems with math right?," Yuki was startled at the response. "Err, I-I'll go find some books too!" Yuki ran further inside the library. "Yuki-chan!" Yuuri tried to stop her until she heard a growling sound and caught a glimpse of an undead walking in the aisles.

Yuuta meanwhile, was looking at the shelves in the novels section for any title that interests him. As he was reading the synopsis of a particularly catchy title about a group of children and a lion and a wardrobe, his ears picked up a faint sound from his right. There, two shelves away, was an undead shuffling it's way away from him, before disappearing around the next bookshelf. 'I better keep an eye on it.'

"Hmm… This series looks good," said Yuki as she picked a manga from a bookshelf. "Yuki-chan, you shouldn't run away like that. You gave Ri-san a scare you know," Megu-nee scolded her. "Err… Sorry," Yuki apologized. "It's okay. Let's go find the others all right?". "Hai~" Yuki exclaimed, but she then heard a noise from behind Megu-nee. An undead was just in front of her, "A ghost?". Megu-nee quickly covered Yuki's mouth and dragged her away from the undead.

Following behind the undead was Yuuta as he was thinking of swiftly finishing off the undead before the others noticed. He, however, saw Yuki's pink hair and decided to stay beside her to keep her safe. "Yuki," he whispered as clearly but quietly as he can. Poking from behind a bookshelf was Yuki's bag which he recognized. He moved beside Yuki and he could see how relieved she felt when she saw him, but there was still a tinge of fear on her face. "Don't worry Yuki," Yuuta crouched and placed his hand on her head, "I won't leave your side".

Yuki nodded at Yuuta's words and hugged her teacher tighter. Yuuta pressed his back against the books as the undead passed in front of them. "Ne, Megu-nee. What was that?" Yuki asked her teacher in a terrified voice. "It's okay," Megu-nee comforted her. "Everyone cares about you. They're all trying to save you. As long as you have them, you don't need to worry about any ghost. You even have a special someone who cares deeply about you by your side, right?" she gestured towards Yuuta.

Just then, the three heard the sound of metal banging from a distance. 'I guess the others must've done that to attract the undead's attention and keep it away from Yuki. Good thinking,' Yuuta thought. Yuki held her head down and clutched her hat tightly.

After a few seconds, the banging stopped followed by a shout from Kurumi. Yuuta, deeming it safe to move, relaxed her tensed body and pulled Yuki's hand up. "I guess we're safe now, Yuki,".

"Yeah! Thanks for staying by my side Yuu-kun," Yuki flashed a bright smile. "Ah, you too Megu-nee."

* * *

Ah. There you are."

"Are you okay, Yuki-chan? You're not hurt anywhere , are you?"

Kurumi, Yuuri, and Miki arrived at their place after a minute.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Yuki assured them. "That ghost was super scary, but it was okay because Megu-nee and Yuu-kun were with me. Right?"

The three girls expressed their thanks at Megu-nee who became flustered at the attention.

"By the way, where's Yuuta?," Kurumi inquired.

"Ehh," Yuki looked around her and found that Yuuta was nowhere to be seen. "But Yuu-kun was here a few moments ago," she said in a not-so-surprised manner.

"Maybe he went to get some books in the other section or–" Miki"s sentence was cut when she felt something grabbing on her shoulder along with a low growling noise.

"AAHHHH!"

She immediately becomes tensed and instinctively shrieked in fear which surprised the others. Kurumi held her shovel, ready to strike while Yuuri was shielding Yuki's sight. Five seconds after however, they heard the sound of laughter coming from behind Miki. And there, was the figure of Yuuta laughing his face off while rolling on the floor.

"W-W-What," Miki stammered. "Was that you, Yuuta-senpai."

Yuuta, now standing but still laughing, replied, "Sorry, sorry. I just wanted to scare you all a bit. This _is_ a test of courage after all." He started laughing again, "But your faces were priceless. Even Yuki didn't look like that, or scream for that matter."

"Yuuta-kun, you shouldn't scare us like that!" Yuuri scolded him sternly.

"Hehe, sorry. But Yuki was the one to suggest that I scare Miki since she wants to see her face when she's scared," Yuuta smirked.

"Ah, Yuu-kun. Why did you say that" Yuki flailed her arms in the air.

"Is this true, Yuki-senpai?" Miki spoke which brought a chill down Yuki's spine. Along with that, a dark aura, even darker than Yuuri's, began to emanate from her body.

"Eep. Calm down Mii-kun," Yuki panicked.

"I'll get you for this, senpai!" Miki started chasing Yuki and the both of them ran inside the library. "Help!" Yuki was screaming for help from the others but they just snickered.

* * *

"So, did you like our test of courage, Yuki-chan?"

The group was climbing up the stairs to their rooms when Yuuri asked the question.

"Hmm!" Yuki nodded. "It was fun. Let's do it again next year."

"Bit you're all in your third-year. Are you going to repeat?" Miki asked her.

"Yuki probably will."

"Probably."

"Her grades are not the best after all."

"Wah, Kurumi-chan, Ri-san, and Yuu-kun, you're so mean," Yuki pout. "But then I get to be Mii-kun's classmate. And we can graduate together."

"I don't want that."

The rest of the way were filled with chats among the members. When they arrived at their respective rooms, the girls said 'good night' to Yuuta and he replied the same.

* * *

"Ha… ha…"

"Ha… ha… HAH!"

Kurumi opened her eyes. She was sweating heavily and breathing hard. She lifted her upper body up and tried to calm herself.

She was having that dream, the same dream that she had this morning. It was about 'that' day. The day when her world was turned upside down and her life changes forever. The day where she lost the one she loved.

"Kurumi-chan …" she turned her head to the side to see Yuki's face. "Let's repeat… the year… together…" Yuki says in her sleep.

Kurumi smiled when she hears her friend's sleep-talking. However, her heart was still in unease and so, she decided to walk around a bit. She got up, picked her shovel, and exited the room.

* * *

I was walking down the corridor of the class alone. As it turns out, I can't sleep. Maybe my nocturnal side is resurfacing itself? Anyway, since I couldn't get any shut-eye, I tasked upon myself to patrol our living area. I made sure to check every barricade for any of 'them', although I would leave them alone since they don't poss any threat at the time.

On my way to complete a full round, I looked up at the stairs leading to the rooftop and noticed that the door was open. Feeling suspicious, I climbed the stairs slowly without making any noise and once I reached the top, I peered through the door. What I saw was a figure of a girl, standing by the fence, with her twintailed hair flowing in the wind, eyes looking at the distant view. I instantly know that it was Kurumi and moved to greet her since it's pretty weird to see that she's still awake at this hour.

"Yo, Kurumi. What're you doing here?"

"Ahh, Yuuta! Why are you still awake?," Kurumi turned her head back and seem surprised to see me.

"I could say the same thing to you," I stood beside her, my back leaning on the fence. "I couldn't sleep so I thought that I'd patrol the area."

"So you couldn't sleep either, ha," Kurumi went back to looking at the distance. Even though I've just known her for less than two days, I can sense something that's not right with the way she's behaving in this moment. Deciding to take a risk, I asked her what's bothering her.

"Hey, Kurumi. What's wrong? You're not your usual self you know," I asked in what I hoped wasn't a sympathetic tone.

"Heh. We just met not too long ago and you asked me if I'm not acting my usual self," I knew she's going to answer like that. "But you're right. I just have a dream – no, a nightmare that caused me to wake up." She scratched her cheek, " It's kind of embarrassing to tell this to other people, ha."

"Don't worry, I won't tell the others," I reassured her. "And these days, you couldn't blame them for appearing."

Kurumi didn't respond and so we stand in silence, feeling the chilly wind of the night on our skin. Eventually, Kurumi broke the tranquility of the situation.

"Hey, Yuuta. There's something I need to tell you," I glanced at her and saw she was staring straight at me and took a deep breath, like the matter she was about to tell was very important. Wait! She's not going to do 'that', is she?

"Actually, I–"

"STOP!" I intercepted her words. She looked startled at the interruption. "I know what you're going to say but, I can't accept it."

"Ha? What're you talking about?" she cocked her head sideways in confusion.

"You're going to confess to me right?" I said to her. "I'm sorry. I know I am quite good-looking and smart, and I'm also Sakaki's friend, but I just can't. You're his girlfriend after all and I'm not the type to take away my best friend's girl so, sorry. I have to reject you."

After I finished speaking, Kurumi just stared at me with eyes wide as a saucer. Her cheeks started becoming red that I can see it in the darkness and when she finally opened her mouth, she was stuttering like a broken record.

"W-W-W-What?! That's not what I was gonna tell you! L-L-Like I'm going to c-c-confess to you or something."

"Oh. So… what were you trying to tell me?"

"Actually, Subara-kun is dead!" Kurumi almost shouted the words.

"So… he didn't survive it, ha? I'm not actually that surprised you know."

"No, you don't understand. He's… dead, gone and he's not coming back," her face looked sad as she said this.

"How can you be so sure?" I asked since she seems pretty serious about this topic.

"Because I killed him," Kurumi's words were low but I could hear them clearly. "I killed him, right here in this spot, with this shovel, on that day, when he was bitten by 'them'."

My brain took a few seconds to process what she just said. 'Sakaki… is gone. Killed in the hands of the girl who loves him.'

Kurumi went quiet after that and she looked down at the floor. I couldn't blame her. She just told someone that she killed their best friend, even if for protection. Furthermore, the guy was the person she loved, I could only imagine what nightmarish hell she had to go through. In the times after I left my house, I kept thinking, 'What have I become?'. After all, I killed my own family members, although it's just for safety. After much thought, I found out what makes me still _me_.

"Kurumi," I called out to her. She didn't response so I asked her the question that I sometimes ask myself. "Do you regret killing him?" She lifted her head to answer the question but her eyes were still cast downwards.

"Of course, I do!" she responded loudly.

"Do you feel sad for him and all the others that you've put down?" I asked another question.

"Of course, I feel sad for them!" she clenched her fist tightly. "But I couldn't help it."

"That's what makes you a human," Kurumi stopped and stared at me straight in the eye. "Feelings of regret, guilt and sadness are what makes us different from monsters. We know when we did something wrong and we cry for our wrongdoings because that's what we are made like. We try to avoid doing bad things and do good things for ourselves and other people," I paused a while to catch my breath. "To tell you the truth, when the incident happened, I had to put down my own mother and little sister," I saw Kurumi gasped at this. "Since then, I've been living a life full of regret and grief and once I even considered suicide to atone for my sins. But as the days gone by, I realized that is not the way to redeem myself," I placed my right hand on her shoulder. "To redeem ourselves, we must keep living our life to the fullest, since we carry inside us the hopes of all the peoples that have departed. That is why, it is our responsibility to carry our life, never forgetting about those who are gone, and using them as our motivation to continue going forward. I'm sure that's what Sakaki would say to you if he was here," I concluded my speech.

Kurumi just stared at me for what seemed like hours before breaking into a giggle.

"So Subara-kun is right about you," I gestured my head for clarification. "He said that you were a very cool person and that he always hoped that he can be like you. I never really believed that a person can be any cooler than him but looks like you proved me wrong."

"Don't sweat it," I assured her.

"Hey, Yuuta," I looked at her. "You said that crying is a part of what makes us human right," I nodded. "Then… do you mind if I cry on your chest for a while?"

I opened my arms and she placed her head on my chest. Then, her tears flowed out uncontrollably from her eyes. I placed my hands on her back to give her a silent comfort. Her tears soaked through my shirt as she sobbed and wailed in the cover of night.

"Why!? Why must it be him? Why couldn't it be someone else? And why must it be me to stop him? Why is the world so cruel to us!?"

Her questions echo in the night, begging for answers that no one could give, especially me. So I just stood there, wrapping my arms around her until her tears have dried off.

We stayed like that for a few minutes until Kurumi had ceased her sobbing.

"You feel better now?" I asked.

"Yeah, much better. Thanks, Yuuta."

"No problem."

"Well," she removed herself from my chest. "I should be going back to sleep right now. Wouldn't want Yuki to catch us like this and misunderstand," and just like that, she's back to her normal self.

"Wait. What do you mean Yuki would misunderstand?"

"Because you love Yuki , right?" she said casually.

My brain grind to a halt the moment she said the sentence and it took a few more seconds for my brain to reboot. Once it had returned, I started stammering with my words while blushing madly.

"W-W-Wa, i-it's not like that. S-She's just a friend to me. I don't like her that way," I denied her accusations strongly, although not convincingly since she just smirked in amusement.

"Whatever you say, Yuuta," Kurumi grabbed her shovel and proceeded towards the door. "But I still got my eyes on you and you're going to get it if you do anything weird to her."

She then descended downstairs, leaving me on the rooftop contemplating about what she just said. 'She must be joking, I mean, I don't know Yuki all that much even though we're in the same class. And even though we're in the same club right now, I've only been with them for less than two days. Although I admit I do feel a little infatuation towards her, I'm certain it's not love.'

Right?


	11. Chapter 11: Swords and Training

Chapter 11 - Swords And Training

"Good morning, everyone."

I opened the door of the clubroom and greeted the others sleepily. I looked around and saw that there were only Yuuri and Miki in the room.

"My, good morning, Yuuta-kun."

"Good morning, Yuuta-senpai."

I entered the room and sat on my chair, setting my sword and bag down while doing so. Yuuri was scooping rice from the rice cooker into a bowl so I guessed we're eating rice. Meanwhile, Miki was reading her book, and damn that book is really thick. I wondered how long she'd been reading it.

"Hey, Ri-san," I grabbed her attention. "Where's Kurumi?"

"Ah, it seems that Kurumi is still sleeping in our room," she said while still scooping the rice. "I'm confused myself. Usually, she would wake up early," Yuuri sighed. "I wonder if she stayed up late last night."

I smiled inwardly. I knew that Kurumi woke up last night to talk to me but I couldn't possibly tell that to Yuuri. Some matters are better kept private after all. So I just muttered an "I see" and leaned on my chair, waiting for Yuki and Kurumi to come.

My wait didn't last long when I heard the sound of footsteps outside the room. When the door slides open in came the figure of the two persons we were waiting for along with a brown puppy.

"Good morning!" Yuki greeted us cheerfully and energetically as she(I assumed) always does.

"Morning," Kurumi on the other hand, sounded like a sleep-deprived person with the tired look in her eyes and the yawn she gave us. Kind of remind me of myself actually.

"Senpai, you're late again," Miki scolded Yuki.

"Wah,it's not my fault Mii-kun. I and Taroumaru had to wake up Kurumi-chan. She was still sleeping when I woke up. That's why we're late," Yuki explained to Miki to quell her anger.

"Is this true, Kurumi-senpai?"

"Yeah, she's right. Grhh…",Kurumi groaned. "To be awoken by Yuki, the world must really be coming to an end."

"My, you're just in time for breakfast so don't be sad Kurumi. We should start the day with a smile right?" Yuuri tried to cheer her.

"Yeah, I guess you're right Ri-san. What's for breakfast today?"

"Rice with cooked beef."

"Mii-kun!" Yuki went to Miki's place and hugged her, or should I say glomped. Being in the middle of reading, Miki was surprised and protested Yuki's forwardness while blushing.

"Yuki-senpai!" Miki struggled against Yuki's grasp while the latter was smiling widely while Taroumaru barked happily at her leg. In the meantime, Kurumi and Yuuri were talking among themselves about things that I couldn't hear.

If you're wondering why I'm not saying anything while everyone else is talking, then that's because I'm currently watching the scene in front of me with a smile on my face. Although it seems like a normal scene to most people, to me, it was something precious and rare. Living alone in fear for several months, I almost forgot what it's like to be with other peoples, playing with them, joking around and talking about normal everyday stuff(Hey, despite having only two friends, it doesn't mean I don't know how to be social around other peoples), the things that humans always treat lightly. But in this world that we live in now, it is things like this that we need the most. Friends to keep us company.

"Hmm," Yuki looked at me. It seems she had noticed me. "Why are you smiling Yuu-kun?"

"Nothing, just appreciating the little things in life."

Yuki had a confused look on her face but the other three wore a smile, probably knowing what I mean. With that, we started eating our breakfast, the girls talking among themselves a bit and smiling that it almost made me forgot about the reality of this world. It was at that time that I vow to myself that I would protect them and their happiness no matter what it takes.

Having finished our meal, Yuuri went to wash the bowls with Yuki helping her. Kurumi was leaning on her chair and Miki was reading her book while Taroumaru was curling on the floor, full presumably. As for me, I grabbed my sword and started to clean it with a piece of cloth I had in my bag.

"Hey, Yuuta," Kurumi spoke. "What is that sword?"

"Yeah, I'm interested to know too," Yuki turned to look at me.

Miki peeked her head from her book, interested to hear too, probably. 'I suppose I can tell them. It's not like it'll bring any harm.'

"Well, you see, this sword is a family heirloom that's been with my family for such a long time that even my grandfather didn't know how old it is," I began telling the history of the sword. "According to the stories passed down by my family, a long time ago, dark and evil beings emerge in this land and cause chaos and terror wherever they go. My ancestor, the one who first wields this sword, was the greatest swordsman of that time and alongside five others, they set out to fight against the evil beings. After several years of traveling and fighting, they eventually managed to cleanse the land of the evil beings and sealed the source of the evil away in a place only they know," I finished my story feeling a little prideful although it's just a story.

The girls, including Yuuri('when did she get here?') were now staring at me with a look of awe on their face and opened mouths. Yuki was the one to speak first.

"Wow, that's so cool, Yuu-kun! So you're like the descendant of a great person. Then you must know how to fight too, right?"

"You're too loud, senpai," Miki hits Yuki's head lightly with her book. "Is the story true, Yuuta-senpai?"

"I don't know too much about the topic, honestly," I spoke the truth. "It could be just a legend to make the sword seem greater, or maybe the details were altered slightly. But one thing that is true is this sword was indeed in my family's possession for a very long time," I remembered that my grandparents said that my father was once obsessed with the sword and the story that he spent most of his youth on researching it. That's how my family knew for certain that the sword is indeed very old but he never revealed what other discoveries that he found.

"Ohh…" the four nodded. After a few minutes of silence in which I continue cleaning my sword, Yuki broke the silence.

"I wonder what should we do today."

Miki closed her book and glanced at Yuki. "Did you forget again, Yuki-senpai," Yuki looked at her, perplexed. "It's your turn to walk out Taroumaru today."

As if on reflex, Taroumaru perked his head and went to Yuki's legs, barking happily. "Oh yeah, I forgot," she lifted him up. "Let's walk you out okay, Taroumaru," the puppy licked her nose in response.

"Now let's go!" Taroumaru ran outside the room followed by Yuki, holding on his leash.

"I suppose I better go on patrol," Kurumi stood from her seat. "You wanna come, Yuuta," she asked me.

"No. I'll pass," I replied. She then exited the room, carrying her shovel on her back.

A while later, Yuuri also left the room, saying she had to "tend the garden all by myself" in a sulking tone, to get me to help her obviously, but I'm not buying it so she went on her way. Thus, that leaves only me and Miki inside the clubroom. Watching her read, I remembered the book that I've taken from the bookstore at the mall a week back. Rummaging inside my bag, I found the book under my stack of clothes and took it out. Since the book doesn't have so many pages, and the fact that I have a lot of free time, I've finished halfway through already. I opened the page where I last stopped and started reading. The story was reaching a good point now when a hurricane hit their shelter and one of the characters were paralyzed and her brother missing. I wondered what they're gonna do, search for the lost person or continue their journey.

I immersed myself in the story, getting the feel of the characters, but out of the corner of my eye, I noticed something. Miki was glancing at my direction. I saw that she'd been doing it since I started reading but I dismissed it. However, it is distracting to be stared at by another person when you're trying to focus. So, placing down the book, I turned to her and asked, "What is it, Miki?"

She tensed a little when I called her. "Ah, no. It's nothing, Yuuta-senpai," she turned her head away from me.

"You know I'm not believing that. Do you want to ask something to me?"

"Umm…" she seemed to be thinking what to ask me. I wonder what it is. "What is that book you're reading Yuuta-senpai?" she pointed at the book on the table.

'Ah… I should have guessed she would ask about that'. "I got this book from the mall about a week ago. It's about the journey of a group of people to find a safe haven after a catastrophe hit their world. There's a lot of drama and a survival theme. I took it because it seemed similar to my situation."

"Is it good?"

"Well… I'm not much of a critic but it's quite good. I'm only halfway done so my opinion may change later."

Miki went back to reading her book with that comment, but she still glanced at my direction once in a while like before.

"So…" I tried to start a conversation. "I heard from Ri-san that you're the one sheltering in the mall; is that true?"

She seemed surprised that I talked to her and replied in a hasty manner. "Err…yes, that's right. Why do you ask, senpai?"

"Nothing particular, but it must've been lonely to live by yourself in there." It's true, I would've definitely gone mad if it was me.

"Ah, I didn't stay there by myself. I had Taroumaru and… another person with me," her voice drawled and there was a look of sadness on her face.

"Sorry, sorry. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," I waved my hand front in front of me.

"No, it's okay," she closed her book. "It was my friend. We were both with Taroumaru in there for a long time, waiting for someone to rescue us. Several months passed and our hopes were getting lower and lower until one day, she decided to leave our shelter and went outside. I tried to convince her to stay but she had set her mind on it. She also invited me to come with her but I was scared and weak so I stayed. That was the last time I saw her. If only I had the courage and strength to go with her, we might still be together now," tears began to form in the corner of her eyes but she wiped them. "But it's okay now. I have Yuki-senpai, Kurumi-senpai, Yuuri-senpai, and Taroumaru is still here with me, although he seems to avoid me. I'm quite happy with where I am in the present," she said that with a tear-stained smile that shows she's still saddened.

I thought about how to lift her spirits up and remembered something that might do the trick. I put my hand inside my bag and pulled the thing out. "Here, Miki, you can have this," I gestured her to take it.

She looked at the thing in my hand curiously and then stared at me questioningly. "What is this, Yuuta-senpai," she pointed at the thing in my hand. If you want to know, I'm currently holding a sword, about the same length as my own sword but with a light green scabbard protecting it. How did that thing fit inside my bag? It's secret.

"It's a sword that I found when I 'visited' a house some two or three months ago. I took it because I thought it might be useful but I haven't really used it," I placed it in her hands. "You need to become stronger right, then take it. May you be able to acquire the courage to protect yourself and everyone."

Miki stared at the sword in her hands with tears in her eyes. "Thank you, Yuuta-senpai!" she bowed a little at me. "But are you sure. You could give it to the others and I don't really know how to use a sword."

"It's fine, don't worry. I have my own sword after all," I reassured her. "Also, you're the only one I can give it to. Kurumi got her shovel, Ri-san doesn't seem suitable for fighting, and I'd be very worried to give Yuki any kind of weapon; she'll just hurt herself," I shook my head. "If you're worried about using it then I can train you, starting right now in fact."

"Really!? Then let's train right now senpai!" Miki stood up and exclaimed with enthusiasm that I didn't know she was capable of. She immediately realized her outburst however and started blushing while fidgeting in her place.

"Haha, good to know that you're that eager," I got up from my chair and walked towards the door. "First, let's find an empty classroom to train in."

We walked through the hallway and entered an empty room that we found devoid of chairs and tables, perfect for moving about. I stood at the center of the room followed by Miki and we face each other.

"So… what should I do first, senpai?" she asked me.

"Well, first let me see how you swing the sword," she nodded and pulled the blade from the scabbard and gripped the handle with both hands nervously. Then, she swung the sword downwards with a shout.

"For a beginner, you form is quite good Miki," I commented. "But your swinging needs more practice, and please open your eyes when you swing that blade," she opened her eyes to find that the tip of the blade was literally at the end of my nose. I'm not surprised at the slightest of this situation if you must know.

"Ah! I'm sorry Yuuta-senpai," she bowed her head to apologize.

"Don't worry, I'm okay," I brushed away her worries. "It's my fault for standing so close. Now, for today's practice, I want you to swing that blade 100 times."

"100 times!?" she exclaimed in surprise. "Isn't that too many?"

"I used to do more, and that's when I'm still in elementary school you know," I replied. "But since you're just beginning I suppose I can reduce it to just 50 swings. How's that?"

She appeared to think about it and agreed. "I guess I can do 50 swings."

"Good. I'll stand there and observe you until you've finished," I went to the back of the class and leaned on the wall. Miki took her stance and, after taking a deep breath, sliced the air with the blade.

"HIAH!"

I watched as she repeatedly swung the sword downwards. Looking at her reminds me of my childhood when my father first gave me the family sword to train with. Actually, thinking back I don't know exactly why he asked me to train with the sword. It's not like I'm going to use it for self-defense or anything. I only began to use it seriously when all of this began. Did he somehow know about all this and gave me the sword to prepare myself?

I ponder about the thought for a couple of minutes until I noticed that Miki had stopped swinging. She was breathing not quite heavily and there were a few drops of sweat on her face.

"I'm finished senpai," she called out. "What to do next?"

'She finished it faster than I thought,' I contemplated in my mind. 'Guess I'll teach her a bit about fighting.'

"Now I'll show you how to use your sword effectively," I began my lesson. "This is useful when you want to fight them," I saw she shuddered when I said 'them'. "First, know their vital points. You can easily stop them if you decapacitate them. Swing the blade with a little more force since human flesh does not cut easily, like this," I swung my sword horizontally, cutting through the air. "Now you try, and please don't close your eyes and cut my head off 'accidentally' with that thing."

She blushed a little at my last comment but readies herself nonetheless. She swings the blade like how a baseball player swings their bat, and she doesn't close her eyes.

"How was that, senpai?"

"Not too bad, maybe you're good at this since you look like a b–" I covered my mouth with my hands immediately to prevent me from saying any further. 'Damn, I was about to say that she looked like a boy. Good thing I stopped myself or I'm probably going to be dead if she heard it.'

"Did you say something, senpai?"

"Nothing Miki, nothing," I waved my hands in front of me to clear her suspicion. "Anyway, as I was saying, you're quite good at this and you should train more to perfect your sword style. Remember to practice your swinging every day otherwise your skills will get dull," I gave her some advice. "And with that, I guess we can end our first practice."

Miki straightened her posture and stared at me straight in the eyes. "I can still do more, senpai. Let's continue," determination present in her eyes and voice.

"Oho~. That's quite a spirit you've got there. Then… attack me."

"Huh," she looked at me, confused.

"You heard me. Attack me," I spread my arms.

"But…" she hesitated.

"Come on. Where did that spirit of yours just now gone too? You said you want to continue right, then attack me. Strike at me like I'm one of them like I'm going to hurt you, or as if I'm the person who causes the world to be like this," I provoked her.

"All right, senpai," the look of determination returned to her eyes. "Here I go!" and with that, she rushed at me with her blade and swung it downwards.

"Hmm," I remained calm even as she swung the sword at me. When the blade was right above my head, I ducked a little and spun around. I then hit a spot on her wrist with my finger, causing her to involuntarily release her grip on the sword's handle, and took possession of the sword. All this only took me one revolution.

Miki stumbled forwards after she lost the sword and fell on her knees. She turned her head and was met by the blade close to her neck. Fear etched across her face.

"There are times when you have to fight, and there are times where you have to realize that you're at a disadvantage and run away. Surviving does not only require fighting. It also requires escaping when the situation becomes too dangerous. You have to learn about that, Miki," I retracted the sword and put it inside the scabbard. "Do you understand?"

Miki, still frozen in fear, could only nod her head silently. As she got on her feet, I noticed she was trembling and her hands were shaking when I return the sword to her. 'Maybe I went too far. She's still a girl after all.'

"Sorry, Miki," I apologized to her. She stopped shaking and looked at me confusedly. "I didn't mean to scare you like that," I rubbed the back of my head while looking away.

"Hmhm"

I heard something and faced Miki, who was stifling a laugh. I was perplexed at that moment and she noticed this.

"Ah sorry, Yuuta-senpai. I was not laughing at you. It's just… I didn't expect you to act cool like that, you know? I thought you're like Yuki-senpai who likes to laze around. I never thought you could be so serious," she explained.

"Hey, that hurts you know. It's not like I'm a person who plays all day, well… maybe most of the day, and I can be serious if I want to," I justified myself.

"That was really cool, though, your technique earlier. Where did you learn that, senpai?"

"Oh… just one of the things I learn from watching animes, a lot of them, I never expect I got to use it, though. That was the first time I did it. Good to see it went well," I said.

"Can you teach me how to do that, senpai," she said with a face like a little child who wants a toy. It's quite cute tough, kinda reminds me of Yuki.

'Again, why did I keep using the word cute to describe a girl," I slapped myself mentally. 'I really have to expand my choice of words. And why did I think of Yuki when I thought that.'

"Are you all right, senpai?" Miki asked me, maybe concerned that I have quieted down.

"Nah, it's nothing, Miki," I replied. "And didn't I say that we're ending our practice session now," I reminded her. "Unless you want to fight me again, and this time… I'm using my own sword," I added with a wicked grin. 'Gosh, it really felt like I'm bullying her right now. Plus, she's my underclassmen. I hope she didn't report this to Yuuri or Kurumi.'

"Err… no thanks, senpai. I'll just practice by myself," she turned down the offer.

"Good, you do that. In the meantime, I want to doze off for a few hours. I have to stay awake at night for patrol after all," I picked my bag and sword and went towards the door. Just as I was about to exit the room, something poked it's head over the door.

"Ohh, what are you doing here Yuu-kun, Mii-kun?" the thing spoke at us. It's Yuki by the way if you don't notice with Taroumaru lingering between her legs.

"Yuki-senpai, you're done walking out Taroumaru?" Miki came towards us.

"Yeah! Taroumaru was being a good boy today. He didn't run off wildly or pull on his leash."

"Really? That's good Taroumaru," I kneeled down and petted the brown puppy. He seemed to enjoy my touch and licked my hand when I pull off.

"What about me, Yuu-kun. I'm a good girl too," Yuki said and stared at me with those two pink orbs of hers. I complied and rubbed her head with my hand. She closed her eyes while making some indescribable sounds and I had to resist the urge to treat her like some small animal.

"Ehem!"

Miki's cough returned me to reality and I hastily pulled my hand from her. 'What was I doing? Did I just pet her head like it was the most natural thing to do? The tiredness must really be getting to me.' I held my head in disbelief

"Aww… why did you pull off Yuu-kun," Yuki sulked, but her eyes were immediately caught on something else. "What's that you got there, Mii-kun," she pointed at the sword in Miki's hand.

"It's a sword, Yuki-senpai. Yuuta-senpai gave it to me," Miki informed her.

"Ahh… why did you give it to her, Yuu-kun? I want one too," she requested at me while pouting.

"Sorry Yuki. I can't trust you with anything sharp and dangerous. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to sleep a little," I quickly answered and walked off from the scene to avoid Yuki's pouting. "See you girls at dinner later," I waved at them.

A few steps away and I could hear the sound of something hard contacting with another hard thing, no doubt it was Miki hitting Yuki's head with the sword's cover. 'I guess she can use it to protect herself from Yuki as well,' I chuckled a little.

* * *

As I entered my room, I lied down on the floor and closed my eyes to feel the sun's heat. Since it was past afternoon, the heat was not so intense although it was already summer. As I opened my eyes, I felt a little sense of satisfaction inside me for being able to teach Miki in swordsmanship. 'So this is what teachers felt when they teach you huh,' I thought. 'It's quite a good feeling. I think I feel less hate towards them now.'

I then closed back my eyes to sleep. As drowsiness slowly overcame my mind, three thoughts appear in my mind. The first was what I should teach Miki tomorrow. The second was what is the menu for today's dinner. Unfortunately, I couldn't remember completely what the last thought was.

What I remember was it about a small girl with a pink hair.


	12. Chapter 12: Gardening and His Dream

Chapter 12 - Gardening and His Dream

"Would you like to help me in the gardens today, Yuuta-kun?"

"Huh?" I tilted my head in confusion.

We have just finished eating our breakfast that was the club's food rations(tasteless stuff, but it's not like I haven't eaten them) and I was just sitting on my chair, waiting for the food to be digested. The other girls meanwhile, were cleaning the table and the dishes(yep, I know I'm lazy. Hate me all you want) and Taroumaru was fast asleep when Yuuri suddenly asked me the question.

She awaits my answer with a gentle smile and I responded with my default answer.

"Sorry, Ri-san. I've got something to do" I turned her down nicely.

"And what is that 'something' may I know?" She asked in a teasing tone that shows she knew what I was talking about.

"You know what it is right, Ri-san" I gestured my head at Miki.

It has been almost a week since I arrived at school and meet the girls. Every day I would spend the day doing mostly the same thing; in the morning, train Miki, in the evening, sleep, and at night, patrol until morning came again. It's such a simple life, much like my life before all this happened. Speaking of Miki, she had progressed quite well in her training, even though only a couple of days had passed. The others, of course, knew about this and encouraged her to train hard, except Yuki who's still sulking that I didn't give anything to her. And speaking about her, I still can't get over the feeling in my chest and my blush whenever our hands touched or just being close to each other. I refuse to think that it is love since I don't know much about it.

"Miki-san can be excused from her training for today, right? I'd imagine that she needs some rest once in a while, don't you agree with me too, Miki-san?" She turned to face Miki.

Miki, who was absorbed in her book, tensed a little upon being called and hastily replied. "Err...yeah, I don't mind resting for today, and I want to read my book some more."

"There, Miki-san doesn't mind it" she smiled at me again.

I quickly think to get myself out from doing her bidding. "I was going to patrol the area this morning."

"But Yuuta," Kurumi piped in. "I thought you don't like patrolling in the morning since you would only get sleepy and laze around instead of doing actual work."

'Damn, she remembered that?' I cursed mentally. Yuuri was standing up now and started walking towards me.

I turned my head towards Yuki. "Yuki, do you have anything you want to do today?" I asked her with hope in my voice.

"Hmm…I don't think I want to do anything today, Yuu-kun" she replied.

'What? For her to run out of random things to do today of all days.' I glanced upward and saw Yuuri was looming over me.

"Do you have any other things to do, Yuuta-kun?" she asked while emitting that dark aura of hers. I closed my eyes and decided to just resign to my fate.

With a sigh, I said, "Alright, you win Ri-san. I'll help you out today."

She clapped her hands and visibly brightened. "Thank you, Yuuta-kun. We'll go after we're finished cleaning," she then went back to washing the dishes.

I leaned onto my chair and contemplated on my misfortune. "Ah…I hate gardening."

Suddenly, everything went quiet. I thought it was odd and saw that everyone else had stopped dead in their tracks and were eyeing me strangely.

"Hmm, what's the matter? I asked them.

"Y-Y-Yuuta, did you just say you hate gardening?," Kurumi questioned me while stuttering.

"Yeah…why?"

She just pointed to her left and I began regretting what I just said considerably.

Beside her was Yuuri, and although she was smiling sweetly at me, the sinister intention behind them was obvious. Plus, the fact that she is holding a kitchen knife in her hand caused me to sweat profusely in fear for my life.

"My, my. So you hate gardening huh, Yuuta-kun," she said, the smile still not leaving her face. "Then I guess I have to make sure to persuade you until you like doing it."

"W-What do you mean by that, Ri-san," I asked in fear.

She opened her eyes and pointed her finger at me sternly. "You will help me until I am satisfied with the results and you're not allowed to take any breaks unless I allowed it. No lunch or dinner either until your work is done."

My eyes widened in shock when I heard the conditions. 'No lunch…and no dinner as well? Until she's satisfied?' I slumped my head on the table while my arms dangled at the sides. "I'm dead…" Tears streamed from my eyes as I said that.

"Yuuri-senpai, isn't that too mean?" Miki tried to be reasonable with her.

"That's right. He'd probably die before noon," Kurumi also went over to help me in my case.

"I feel sorry for Yuu-kun," Yuki said with a sad tone.

However, Yuuri only gave a glance at them and said. "Do you all want to receive the same punishment as him too?" She asked them in which they only replied with shaking their head from side to side quickly. So much for helping me.

'Ahh…this is why I don't like school," I voiced out my thought.

"What, you don't like the school, Yuu-kun?" I heard Yuki asked me. I raised my head and give her a sigh as an answer.

"Well…" I scratched the back of my head. "I wouldn't go as far as to say I hated it here, but I certainly couldn't bring myself to like this place."

"That's no good, Yuu-kun," she exclaimed angrily, I think. "Then why did you join the club if you don't like the school?"

Her question had the unintended effect of snapping me from my depression. I forgot for a moment about Yuki's condition and slipped out that comment. I looked around and saw that the other members were staring at me and hoping that I would give a favorable and safe response. I closed my eyes and thought hard about what answer I should give to her.

'Hmm…I could just tell her what I told them on my first day, where I joined the club just because, but even I myself knew that there's a reason for why I made that decision apart from this school being a safe place from the undeads, although I don't know what the reason is yet. Hmm…"

Meanwhile, the other girls were thinking more-or-less the same thing about the situation.

'That guy, does he really need to take this long to think? Oh well, if he slipped on something, I could just smack his head to stop him,' Kurumi thought.

'Yuuta-senpai, he seems to be thinking hard, doesn't he,' thought Miki.

'My, Yuuta-kun is really thinking hard for Yuki-chan's sake. Perhaps I am too harsh on him. I should at least let him have dinner,' Yuuri thought.

'I wonder why is Yuu-kun taking this long to answer. Maybe I should ask Megu-nee for her opinion," thought Yuki.

'I know!' I opened my eyes as I thought of something good. It is a little risky and it may not go well for my well being but I want to say it at least once in my life,' taking a deep breath, I stared at the girls. 'Okay, here I go.'

"Because I like you girls of course!" I said the line with a bright smile and the most cheery voice I could make. Yup, the line is a little bit cringy but hey, I was desperate and the situation calls for it. I looked at the other members to see their response.

"W-W-What are you saying, idiot. Hmph," Kurumi crossed her arms and turned away with a red face, like a typical tsundere character.

Miki on the other hand, sank lower into her seat and held her book in front of her face to hide her blush, similar to what a kuudere(or was it a dandere?) character would do.

"My, my. How bold of you to say that, Yuuta-kun," said Yuuri while smiling kindly, as expected of the 'big sister' archetype.

In front of me, Yuki was staring at me with a quizzical look on her face, probably surprised that I would give that answer. After a second, she began to smile and I could guess what her words would be.

"I like you too, Yuu-kun!"

I immediately turned away from her and covered my face with my hand. Even though I knew what she was going to say, actually hearing it from her was a little embarrassing for me to say the least. And no, I'm not blushing. My face is just turning red from the heat. Yeah, that's all.

The others seemed to have realized the easily misinterpreted meaning of Yuki's words and called out to her.

"H-Hoi, Yuki" she turned to Kurumi upon hearing her voice. "You shouldn't say that kind of thing to him you know."

Yuki responded with a head tilt and said, "Why, Kurumi-chan?"

"Wellâ€¦it's kind of embarrassing if you say that don't you think?" Kurumi replied while turned her eyes away from Yuki.

"But I said the same thing to all of you too, right" she countered.

Kurumi sighed. "We're girls so it's fine if you say that, but you can't say that kind of things so carelessly to a guy. It's like you're c-c-" her voice lowers and she was staring at the ground.

"Like what, Kurumi-chan?"

"It's like you're c-c-confessing to him" Kurumi's voice were unnaturally soft but it was intelligible in the quiet clubroom.

"Ooh…" Yuki let out a sound of understanding before her face turned red a second later as the realization hits her.

'I-I-I was c-c-confessing, t-to Yuu-kun' she held her red face with her hands and felt the warmness of her cheeks. She turned a little towards Yuuta and saw that his face was also red.

"Wah…I-I'm sorry, Yuu-kun. I didn't mean it like that, I mean, I do like you, but as a friend, not the 'like' like kind. I didn't think when I said that and you're a nice person, and, and…" Yuki panicked and started flailing her arms around.

"Ahahaha" I gave a nervous laugh to calm myself down. "I-It's alright. It was my fault to begin with. I shouldn't have said that line to you guys. Ehehe, sorry."

We both quieted down after that but the situation had become so awkward as nobody was talking anymore. Eventually, it was Yuuri who broke the silence.

"Well, I guess I'm done here," she went towards the exit. "Shall we go to the roof then, Yuuta-kun?"

"H-Hai!" I stood up and went after her, picking my sword and waving at the others inside the room as I go.

I was feeling tense throughout the walk, not helped by the fact that Yuuri was beside me. I was worried that she might get mad at me for the scene earlier, I mean, she does acts like the sisterly figure for the members.

I heard her sigh. "Do you really have to say it like that to her, Yuuta-kun?" she asked me.

I scratched the back of my head and smiled sheepishly. "Err, I couldn't think of anything else really. And it was supposed to be just a joke to satisfy her question, I didn't mean it to be the way it was interpreted."

"So you didn't like us, Yuuta-kun?" she stared at me through those closed eyes of her. I hastily replied to keep her from being enraged again.

"No, that's not it" I waved my hands in front of me. "I do feel comfortable around all of you and I would never hate you all"

She giggled a bit at my antics. "That's good to hear, Yuuta-kun. It also seems that we have arrived at the roof."

True, it seemed that while we were talking, we have reached the entrance to the roof. Yuuri opened it and I could feel the rays of high-energy particles, also known as photons, hitting my face that had the expected result of causing me to wince as their brightness assaulted my eyeballs and retinas. It took a few seconds for my pupils to readjust their size and allowing me to see clearly again. My body began to produce sweat to cool itself from the high temperature and humidity in the air which is caused by the period when the Sun appears longer during the day, otherwise known as summer. Furthermore, the position of this area…"

A tap on my shoulder interrupted me from my intellectual thought. Looks like Yuuri is ushering me to go through the door quickly since I was blocking her way. Ending my science talk for now, I went through the door and entered the roof. I observed my surroundings since I seldom went up to the roof unless Sakaki and Shuuya invited me to go here.

As Yuuri went towards the lockers to acquire some gardening tools, I took the opportunity to walk around the area. The last time I'd been here was when I had that talk with Kurumi, and it was practically midnight then. I didn't take a clear look at that time, but there were many plants grown by the club up here. Such examples are tomatoes, long beans, potatoes, leeks and such. It really feels like a garden, a vegetable garden to be precise. I walked a little further and saw something white. It was a wooden cross with a ribbon tied on them. Even though I know what the thing was, I still feel the need to ask Yuuri about it.

"Hey, Ri-san!" I gestured for her to come over. "What is this for?" I pointed at the cross.

Her face turned to a sad visage as she approached the place. She glanced away and stared at the horizon. "That was Megu-nee's grave that we made when she passed away," there was a melancholy look in her eyes as she said it, and I immediately regret asking her about it.

"I'm sorry for reminding you about the subject."

"It's okay, Yuuta-kun," the smile returned to her face. "I have to be strong, I'm the club president after all. Now come, I'd need your help. Those plants aren't going to water themselves you know," she proceeded towards a batch of plants.

I stood before the cross and kneeled, bringing my hands together. "Megu-nee, please watch over us," I prayed. "I ask for your guidance in my upcoming days and I ask of you, please convince Ri-san to not work me too hard," begged me as I look up at the sky.

"Yuuta-kun, hurry up."

"Coming, Ri-san," I went towards her direction. Once I arrived, she gestured for me to crouch down. I complied and asked her, "So, what should I do, Ri-san?"

"Well, first I want you to get rid of these weeds, then you can help me water the plants, dig some holes for sowing, picking some of the crops for use and other things when the need arise," she informed.

"That sounds like an awful lot of work to do," I gasped. "Did you do all of that everyday?"

"My, not really. The other members sometimes help and I don't usually to all of that in one day, but since you're here, you can at least help me with the muscle work," she smiled at me. "Boys are supposed to be strong, right?"

"So that's why you want me to help," I looked at the garden patch in front of me. "But I'm not that strong you know. So it might still take a long time to do all that work."

"So we might as well begin now so that we can finish earlier, don't you think?" she started pulling the weeds slowly.

I sighed and wore the gardening gloves that she had placed next to me, and started pulling the weeds too, moving onto another one at a steady pace.

This we do in quiet with the only noise being the low growl of the undead from the courtyard and the occasional sound of cicadas chirping; I don't know exactly where they come from, but I assumed that they're also part of the summer package.

We were just about to begin our work on the second patch when Yuuri asked me a question.

"Have you become accustomed to living here, Yuuta-kun?"

"Huh?" I cocked my head in surprise. "What brought this up?"

She sighed hard. "There's a reason why I requested you to help me out today, you know. I was going to ask you whether you have coped with living with us in this school," she smiled while anger marks appear on her head. "Of course, that was my original intention before you rudely declared that you hate gardening despite once being a member of the club yourself."

"I'm sorry about that," I kneeled in front of her and bowed. "So I ask of you, please forgive me!"

"My my, you don't have to go that far, Yuuta-kun. I already forgave you about that," I heard her giggle.

"Then…" I raised my head up in hope.

"That doesn't mean that I would go back on my word, though. You still have to help me until I'm satisfied otherwise no rest and food for you," she stated the cruel fact again.

I hung my head low and could feel my spirit leaving my body. 'Such a cruel world that I live in,' I commented in despair. I then resumed my work at a slower pace.

"You still haven't answered my question, Yuuta-kun," she spoke again.

"Hmm?"

"My question earlier. You still haven't given me a reply," she repeated.

"Oh that," I thought for a second before giving my answer. "I guess I have fit in really well in this place. It has been a week after all since I arrived and I'm always one to quickly adapt to a new situation. After all, it's not like my routine here is any different from before. Just with more peoples."

"I see," she seemed to accept my answer and we quietly resumed our task.

* * *

"Ah!" I lied down on the floor, fatigue present on every muscle in my body. Bullets of sweat had been flowing from my skin and now my entire shirt is drenched with them. It also didn't help that it is currently noon with the sun directly above my head, shining brightly and furiously to the world.

I glanced at Yuuri. She didn't look too good either. Every once in a while, she would wipe her face with the towel on her neck, sweat dripping heavily even with the wide-brimmed hat she's wearing.

"Ri-san," I groaned in my half-death state. "Can we rest for a bit, please?"

She appeared to be in deep thought for a moment before agreeing with my proposal. "Well, let's rest for a few minutes then we'll continue, okay."

Not having the energy to reply, I just nod at her and closed my eyes. Aside from being very tired, my stomach is also currently feeling empty at the moment, since it is time for lunch. Unfortunately, Yuuri doesn't seem to be quite satisfied with my punishment and means that it'll be a long time before I get to have a meal.

"Wah…so hungry…" I groaned.

"What are you doing, Yuu-kun?"

I heard Yuki's voice and saw her bending down on me, shielding my face from the sun. I pushed myself up and sat cross-legged facing her.

"Nothing, Yuki, just resting for a bit. What about you? What brought you up here?" I turned the question towards her.

"Well… I came to see you two and I'm wondering if you would like to…" Yuki's words derail off and she fidgets while standing.

"Hmm, I want to what?"

Yuki fidgets some more before producing a box from behind her. "I'm wondering if you would like to eat. We already had lunch so I thought of bringing some food for you and Ri-san."

"My, that's very thoughtful of you, Yuki-chan." Yuuri piped in. "But I have already brought my lunch here and it's only enough for me," she produced a picnic box from behind her in the same fashion as Yuki, "so why don't you give them all to Yuuta-kun. I'm sure he must be starving."

"Are you sure, Ri-san?" Yuki inquired.

"Yes, and he needs it more than me I think." Yuuri pointed towards Yuuta, who for his part looks pretty much like he's going to drop dead at any moment.

"I see…well here you go, Yuu-kun." with a cheerful voice, Yuki handed over the box to Yuuta.

'At last, I'm starving already', I opened the box and… was quite disappointed with its contents. Well, it was justified since inside the box there are only several rice balls. They're also shaped rather strangely I may add.

"Do you not like them, Yuu-kun?" Yuki asked with a sad tone. "I made them myself and Mii-kun helped a bit. It's my first time making it so I don't it will taste any good."

'So this is her first attempt, huh? Well, I'm honored though a little let down that they're just rice balls, but what the heck. I might as well eat them to keep her from being sad' I mused.

I picked one of the rice balls. "You can give your first times to me." I smiled at her.

"PUUUFFF"

Both I and Yuki turned towards Yuuri who looks like she just spurted her drink to the ground.

"Are you okay, Ri-san?"

"Did you choke on your food?"

Yuki and I said respectively as we watched Yuuri hastily wiping her mouth with a handkerchief.

"No, no. Please don't mind me. It's nothing." she assured us and went back to eating her food though I saw a tinge of red on her cheeks.

"Weird, I wonder what's wrong with Ri-san," a quizzical look on Yuki's face as she said it.

"It's probably really nothing like she said," I dismissed the issue. "Anyway, Idatakimasu!"

I took a bite of the rice ball and chewed it carefully. Maybe it was because of my current state of hunger, but the food tastes surprisingly good.

"How is it, Yuu-kun?"

"It's delicious, Yuki," I picked another from the box. "Why don't you try one yourself?"

"If you don't mind, Yuu-kun," she picked one of them and after saying "Idatakimasu", began eating. We ate in silence since I prefer finishing my meal before conversing. After all of the rice balls are eaten, I laid back and rubbed my stomach.

"Ah, thanks, Yuki. You really save me this time." Even though the rice balls didn't make for a real meal at least they're filling.

"You're welcome, Yuu-kun," she replied with a gentle smile while closing back the box that previously contains the food.

"I better go back to helping Ri-san," I told her as I rise on my feet. "Once again, thank you, Yuki."

"You don't have to, Yuu-kun. I did it because I want to," Yuki turned and walked towards the door. "See you at dinner, Yuu-kun!" she waved cheerfully.

"Yeah!" I responded with a wave too. When she had disappeared behind the door, I made my way to Yuuri's place.

"You need any help, Ri-san?" I asked her.

Her only response was pointing her finger at a tomato plant.

"You want me to pluck them?" She nodded. "Okay," I grabbed a wooden basket and started plucking some of the tomatoes, which are really fruits not vegetables for those ignorant about the subject, and placed them inside the basket. After I completed the task she pointed at a long beans plant next, still not saying a word. I found it a little weird but complied with her unspoken request. We continued like this for an hour or so, with only the sound of cicadas accompanying us. I had a feeling that she was mad at me for something, but I dared not ask lest her anger increased.

Eventually, she did not point her finger at anything anymore and began picking the gardening equipment, placing them inside the lockers. I handed over the wooden basket to her and she took it, still not saying a word. I decided that it is weird and asked for her reason.

"Ri-san, are you mad at me? I'm sorry if I did or said something that offended you." I tried to sound apologetic. Note, 'tried', since it's hard to feel sorry for something you don't know.

She stopped in her tracks and sighed. "I'm not mad at you, Yuuta-kun," now that's a relief. "It's just that I'm surprised at something you said earlier."

"Hmm, what did I say?"

"Yuuta-kun, did you remember when I spurted my drink earlier?" She asked me.

"Yeah, I remember. Why?"

"Do you recall what you said just before that and to whom?"

"Let's see. If I remember correctly I was talking to Yuki while holding one of her rice balls, and I said 'You can give your first times to me'. What's wrong about that…sentence…" I paused as realization dawned upon me. "Did I really said that out loud?" I asked Yuuri with an incredulous look on my face.

"Yes, " she nodded in confirmation.

'WAH!' I crouched down and held my head with both of my hands. I could feel my face getting redder with each passing second. 'I really said that. What was I thinking? Stupid, stupid. This must be what it feels like to be a harem anime male protagonist. No, this is not the time to be thinking about that. Stupid, stupid.'

Behind Yuuta, Yuuri was watching the scene with amusement, her previous embarrassment about his comment gone replaced with a feeling of glee.

"Yuuta-kun," Yuuri's voice temporarily stopped me from my self-regret. "I'll be going to the clubroom now. Are you coming?"

"No thanks," I replied in depression. "I don't think I can face Yuki right now."

"See you later then," she waved at me but I didn't have the will to respond. After she's gone, I lied on the pavement and closed my eyes, hoping to forget about the memory.

"Might as well sleep for a while," I contemplated. "I wonder if it will appear this time too." And so I drifted to sleep on the roof.

* * *

I opened my eyes and find myself in an empty place, filled only with haze and limiting my eyesight to only a meter in front of me. I cannot sense anyone or anything in here, not even a sound was heard.

"So I'm here again, huh?" I sighed. I have been having this dream for a few days now ever since the day I taught Miki how to use a sword. Although I wouldn't say that this is the strangest dream I ever had, I'm still puzzled with the purpose of this dream. I looked at my body and noted another reason why this dream is strange.

My hand had become smaller, like the size of a little kid. The same goes for my feet and the other parts of my body. During my second time here, I realized that whenever I'm here, my body turned back into what I was like during my elementary school days, more specifically in first grade.

I sighed again about my situation. Straightening my little body a bit, I started walking at a slow pace inside this dreamland. Normally I would just stay where I am but I'm feeling a little restless at the moment. After all, I'm bound to find something here that could tell me why I have this dream.

After walking for about ten minutes or so( it's hard to feel the flow of time when you're inside a region that is technically outside of reality) I eventually found something. Well, it's more like I stepped on it a bit.

What I noticed was that the 'thing' was a small piece of black cloth, cut into a strange shape that looked suspiciously like a cat's ears. Stitched inside the interior were the letter 'T' and 'Y', perhaps the initials of the owner's name. It feels familiar somehow, as though I knew it from somewhere. I examined it further but found no markers on it that could tell me more about the owner.

"hic…sob…"

I froze for a moment and turned my head around. I could swear on my life that I just heard the sound of someone sobbing nearby. Standing completely still, I focused on my hearing.

"sob…hic…"

There, I heard it again. Having identified the direction of the sound as being north of me, I started proceeding towards the source slowly. With each step, the sobbing noise became clearer and louder indicating that I am getting close to the origin.

Finally, my eyes fall on the one who had been making the sound. The person seems to be a little girl around the physical age that I am right now with short pink hair and an attire that consists of a simple green shirt with a pink skirt the same colour as her hair. On her feet were a pair of white shoes with the end coloured blue. Her face was covered by her hands so I couldn't see them.

"Hey, why are you crying," I asked her. She paused her crying to reply.

"…hic. I lost my hat. My mom made it for me and it was my favourite one…sob…and now I lost it…hic. Waaa" she resumed her crying after that.

I was in a little bit of panic now. I want to comfort her but I don't know how to do it. So, I inquired her about her hat.

"What does your hat look like?"

"It was black…hic… and it was shaped like a cat, and there was my name inside it," she pointed out the details which sound descriptively like the piece of cloth that I picked earlier.

"Is this it?" I showed her the cloth. She peeked her eyes from her fingers, which now I see were pink just like her hair, and brighten considerably, grabbing the hat from my hand and holding it close to her face. After a while, she put the hat on her head and smiled a cheerful smile.

"Thank you," she bowed a little at me. "What's your name?"

"My name?" I'm really feeling a bad sense of déjà vu right now, as I'm certain I've gone through this before but nevertheless, I answered her question. "My name is Yuuta. Kiriha Yuuta."

"Then I'll see you later…Yuu-kun." She waved at me.

'Wait, Yuu-kun? Only one person called me that.' I watched as the figure of the girl went away from me. I stretched my hand to reach her but I felt my body being dragged away as the dream began to fade.

"WAIT!"

* * *

I opened my eyes and found that I have returned to reality. The sky had turned orange as the sun started its slow disappearance to allow the moon to show itself. The sound of the cicadas are gone and so does the sound of the undead in the courtyard, silence occupying its place. After lying down for a few more seconds to rid myself from sleep paralysis, I lift my upper body and sat on the roof facing the setting sun. My mind rewinds back towards the dream I had.

'That girl, she was definitely Yuki. Does that mean that the little girl that Sakaki and Shuuya said I defended back then was Yuki? It really seems like the most plausible explanation.' My chest tightens when I think about her. It's like I want to hold her close to me and never let go. 'This feeling, could this really be love?'

The entrance to the roof opens, revealing Kurumi at the doorway, her eyes scanning the rooftop before finally settling on me. She then walked over towards me with a worried expression.

"Yuuta! Thank goodness I found you. At least I don't have to go over the barricade," she began talking.

"Why are you looking for me?" I asked in monotone, still not quite awake.

"Why? It's time for dinner and you're nowhere to be found," she explained. "Ri-san was worried that you were sulking somewhere so she asked me to search for you. I've searched everywhere that is safe, good thing I remembered about the roof."

"Really, sorry about that," I apologized. "I was tired so I decided to sleep here for a bit. I hope I didn't worry you too much."

"Ha," she sighed. "It's fine. Now hurry up, if we're late then Yuki's gonna eat them all."

At the mention of Yuki's name, I began to blush. I don't know why, I just did.

"Hey, you all right, Yuuta. Your face's red you know," Kurumi pointed out.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go now." Brushing the issue aside, I went towards the door and descended the stairs, followed a second later by Kurumi.

'There's no way I can tell anyone about this, especially Yuki, what would she think about me if I tell her. I don't think I can handle the situation.' I resolved to keep these emotions that I feel inside me, at least until the right conditions presents itself to me so that I can tell her, the words that I frequently hear whenever I watched a romance story or anime.

I love you.


	13. Chapter 13: Her Dream and Camping

Chapter 13 - Her Dream and Camping

Inside an otherwise empty playground, a little girl was playing by herself. She constantly shifted from playing on the slides to the swings, and at the sandbox. A smile was plastered on her face as she plays and imagining that the place was hers alone.

The girl had come from the neighboring town with her parents to visit her mother's friend who had recently given birth to a baby girl. The baby was adorable and the girl watched in fascination and glee as the newborn played with her fingers and sucked on them. Though eventually, she got bored and the adults were talking loudly among themselves so it seemed likely that it would be a few more hours before the girl returns home. So, the little girl decided to sneak out of the house and explore the neighborhood for anything fun to do. That was how she came upon the supposed desolated playground since school has yet to let out that day.

Swinging cheerfully back and forth on the swings, the girl reached as high as she can and jumped from the seat, landing on the ground.

Unfortunately, in doing so she landed in front of a group of boys.

"Oh, what do we have here?" The one in the middle spoke. He was wearing a baggy yellow shirt with black trousers in the same state. His black hair was slightly spiky and eyes slanted. All in all, he looks like an aspiring delinquent.

"Seems like a little girl. Never seen her here before, though."

"And what's that she's wearing on her head. It looks ridiculous to me."

The two other boys on his side opened their mouths. The first with green hair had a scarf on his neck even though autumn was barely beginning while the other wears a blue tracksuit the same colour as his hair and for some reason wears a goggle over his head.

The little girl, terrified, stepped back from the three boys. The air that they gave speaks of authority and superiority, one that wouldn't tolerate any disrespect. They were also at least two years older than her and she doesn't want to get in trouble with them.

"Err… I-" the girl tried to say something to leave the place but she couldn't form a word as she's scared of them. "I've got to go now!"

She turned around but before she could start walking, her hat was suddenly yanked from her head.

Feeling the disappearance of her headwear, she turned around to face the boys and saw her hat dangling from the hand of the boy who looks like a delinquent.

"This really is a weird looking hat, perhaps it's a new trend?" The boy contemplated on the piece of cloth.

The little girl stretched her hand to take her hat back but the boy raises it to a height she couldn't reach. "Give it back! My mom made it for me! Give it back!" She called out.

"How about… no. Etsu, catch!" The boy threw the hat to the one with the blue hair. Etsu, as her friends called him, caught it perfectly in his hands.

"Haha. So you wanna play that, Takasu." He held the headwear in the air. "Here girl, you want it."

Turning her attention to the one currently holding her hat, the girl went to him but before he could reach the boy's position, her hat was again thrown into the air in the opposite direction.

The piece of cloth was then caught by the third boy. "Nice catch Kai," said Etsu.

Once again turning her body, the girl shot a pleading look at the boy named Kai.

"I don't have time to play with little kids," unaffected, he threw the hat back towards the group leader, Takasu. The girl switched her target but once she gets close to him, her headwear had already been passed to the next boy. "Give it back!"

Every time the girl gets close to the boy holding her hat, they throw it at the other member, keeping the girl from regaining her possession. This pattern continues for a while until the girl loses her footing and stumbled on the ground, tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

The three boys chuckled among themselves at the girl's misfortune. Hearing their laugh, the girl started to cry but before she could, a figure stood in front of her.

"Leave her alone!"

Lifting her head to see who had arrived, the girl sees a boy with black hair around her age in an attire that consisted of a simple red shirt and a white pair of shorts. He had his back to her and both his hands outstretched on his sides.

"Ha, what're you doing here?" Said Etsu.

"Stop bullying her!" The boy shouted the words with the same tone as earlier.

"What…we're not bullying her. We were just playing with her, isn't that right guys?" The smirk on Takasu's face was mirrored by the other two. "And why do you care about her anyways, she's just a brat."

"You're all brats too you know," the boy retorted in a monotonous voice.

"That may be, but we're still older than both of you," Kai replied the boy.

"I don't care about that," the anger returned to the boy's voice. "Just give back what you took from her and leave."

The statement seems to piss off the group. "Whaaat? You're just a kid. Who're you to think you could order us," to accentuate his point, Takasu delivered a punch to the boy's stomach.

"Urgghh," the boy fell down on his knees and clutched his midsection. It was evident to the others that he wouldn't get up anytime soon.

The one who caused the attack laughed. "That's what you get for opposing us."

As the boy sat there in pain, the girl approaches him. "H-Hey, are you okay?" The girl hears no answer from him.

"He's a fool," Takasu gloated about himself. "Did he really think he stood any chance against me? I can't believe he stood up for someone he doesn't kn-PUFF" unfortunately, his gloating was interrupted by a fist impacting with his chin.

Etsu, Kai, and the little girl watched in disbelief as Takasu flew backward for a few seconds before falling on the ground hard. They turned their heads to the person who had performed the uppercut.

The little boy stood there, his fist pointing towards the sky and his slightly spiky hair a little disheveled. But one thing that took their attention were his eyes. Blue eyes that seems to be burning with motivation, desire, and rage. The look was enough to cause the two older kids to be a little terrified by the human currently standing in front of them.

"Why you!" However, that alone was not enough to prevent them from avenging their fallen comrade. The two slightly elder boys leaped onto him with anger in their eyes.

Etsu, being the closest, swings his right arm at the boy's head but he easily dodged the attack by leaning to the side. Next, he sweeps his leg to try to trip the boy and readying his left arm to strike. Seeing this trick, the boy jumped back before immediately leaping back to the front and thrusting his right fist at Etsu's face. The fist meets his face and he was thrown backwards by the force of the punch.

Sensing a disturbance in the air, the boy moves his head sideways to see a fist where his head was just moments before. Only slightly surprised that his sneak attack had failed, Kai turned his body 180° to the left with his arm still stretched. The younger boy didn't get to react in time to the change and the fist crashed into his cheek, causing him to stagger backwards. Smirking at his success, Kai pulled his right hand into a punch and rushed towards the little boy. Quickly regaining his balance, the boy crossed his arms in front of him in defense. As Kai's fist impacted with his arms, the younger of the two kicked his shin resulting in the older boy' falling on one knee. Not wasting any time, the little boy kicked Kai's body and finishing him with a kick to his side.

"Watch out!"

The boy heard the girl's scream but he was a little too late. A fist hit his back and he falls forwards. The perpetrator was Takasu who had woken up during the little boy's fight with Etsu. The boy rolled over so that his back was on the ground but it was a bad move. He was met with Takasu's fist as he barraged him with punch after punch. The boy could only defend himself on the ground as he endured the attack. The little girl was horrified at the turn of events but the boy would prove her wrong. Choosing a right moment, the boy used his leg and kicked at the elder boy's groin. Takasu stopped his attacks for a moment as he was stunned with pain. Taking the chance he made, the boy quickly stand up and in the process headbutted his opponent's face. Takasu, still in shock, screamed in pain at the impact and stepped away from the boy. Not wasting any opportunity, the boy immediately launched a series of punches and kicks upon the older boy. Feeling the opposition getting weaker, he concluded the fight with a palm strike on Takasu's chest. The impact sends him flying towards his other two friends who had begun to regain their consciousness.

"Takasu, you all right?" The two asked their leader. With some difficulty, he managed to stay conscious. The next thing he did was…

"Run away, guys!" He screamed while exiting the playground as fast as his feet can do.

Etsu and Kai just watched unbelievingly at the figure of their friend's back moving away from them. Etsu immediately got up to his feet and chased after him while Kai turned back to the little boy who had just beat them to the ground and said, in the most threatening voice he have, "This is not over, kid" before joining the previous two.

The young boy, not shaken at all by the threat, wiped the small trickle of blood present at the corner of his mouth. Walking forward and bending to pick the piece of cloth that had fallen during the fight, he muttered, "Weak jerks", referring to the three kids.

Having secured the headwear, he went over to the little girl still standing during the entire quarrel. "Hey, this is your hat, right?" He offered the black piece of cloth back to its owner.

What he didn't expect, however, was the little girl to start crying.

"Wah…sobsob…hic"

The boy, confused and panicked over the girl's sudden outburst, flailed his hands around while trying to comfort the girl.

"Eh, why are you crying? It's not something I did, right. P-Please, don't cry."

"I'm sorry," the girl's words surprised the boy. "I'm sorry. You're hurt because of me…hic… I couldn't even stop them from taking my hat, and you're hurt because I'm weak. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," the girl managed to say the words between her incessant sobbing.

The boy, who was panicked before, began to relax and with one swift movement, slid the headwear over the little girl's pink hair.

The girl, surprised at the action, peeked her pink eyes from her hands and they met the boy's own blue eyes. Giving a smile that seemed to rival the sun's ray the boy said.

"It's okay, the hat looks cute on you."

The little boy's words brought a strange feeling inside the girl's chest. It's a weird sensation unlike anything she ever felt but it's not something bad, instead, she feels comfortable. Subconsciously, a blush appears on her cheek as she placed her hands on her back while she fidgets in place.

"Ne… what's your name?" She asked him.

"My name?" The boy, once again surprised at the change of events, smiled gently at her. "My name is Yuuta. Kiriha Yuuta."

"Well, Yuu-kun," giving the boy a nickname like she usually does to a person close to her, the girl extended her hand towards the boy. "Would you mind playing with me?"

Either not minding about the nickname or choosing to just ignore it, the boy accepted her hand and replied with a clear voice, "I don't mind."

True to his word, the boy accompanied the girl, playing on the swings, playing tag, leap frogs, and other games usually played by children. The girl was having a great time until she heard her name being called.

"Yuki-chan! Yuki-chan, where are you! It's time to go home!" The voice called over and over again.

"That's my mom!" Standing up, the girl rushed towards the source of the voice. After a few steps, she spun around as she forgot something, or someone, important.

Facing the boy named Kiriha Yuuta, she bowed her head a little. "Thanks for helping and playing with me today Yuu-kun. It was really fun."

"It's no big deal. There's nothing much for me to do at home anyway."

"Oh yeah!" The girl clapped her hands together as she realized something. "I didn't tell you my name, right." She giggled at her forgetfulness. "My name is Takeya Yuki. I hope we meet again, Yuu-kun."

"Me too."

"Bye for now," the little girl, named Takeya Yuki, waved her hands at the boy before running towards her mother.

"Bye," said the boy as she ran.

Meeting up with her mother, she was immediately barraged with questions from the worried housewife.

"Yuki-chan! How many times do I need to tell you to not wander off by yourself? Honestly, you got me really scared you know. What if you get lost or worse, kidnapped? I don't know if I can handle it."

Feeling the stares from her mother, Yuki could only hang her head low to avoid eye contact. Seeing her daughter's state, Ms. Takeya softened her voice and spoke in a motherly tone.

"I'm sorry I scolded you Yuki-chan, but you must understand that I'm worried about you, and so does your dad. Promise me that the next time you go out you would inform either of us, okay?"

"I promise," Yuki replied meekly, though that is enough to satisfy Ms. Takeya.

"That aside, where did you go, Yuki-chan?" Her mother asked her.

As the topic changed, Yuki cheerfulness returned. "I went to the playground, and there was this nice boy who helped me get my hat back. Then he stayed and played with me. It was really fun with him," she said with a wide smile.

Hearing her daughter's description about the boy, Ms. Takeya couldn't help but smile a little. "Ne… Yuki-chan, do you like the boy?" She asked.

"Yeah, I love him!"

* * *

The sound of the alarm clock brought Yuki out from her sleep. Turning over to the side, she noticed that, again, the others had apparently woken up and left the room, leaving her alone with Taroumaru who she can hear is snoring inside his box.

Raising her upper body and stretching her arms, her mind began to wander towards the dream that she had. No, it was not a dream. It was a memory from her childhood days when she was always alone and didn't have many friends since she would constantly get picked on for various things that were not her fault.

Shaking her head to clear away those depressing memories, she reflected back towards the events that occurred inside the memory that she forgot all this time.

'That boy, it was really Yuu-kun, right?'

Recalling her earlier memories, she couldn't help but smile when she remembered how Yuuta helped her from the older kids, the fun she felt when she played with him, and most of all, the smile on Yuuta's face that brought a strange feeling inside her chest.

As she once more pictured the smile in her head, a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. Bringing her hands to her face, she shook her head to get the mental image out. However, the sensation in her heart still lingered and so does the red colour on her cheeks.

"What's happening to me, " she asked the question to herself. Fortunately, any further pondering was interrupted by the sound of the door opening, revealing a quite angry underclassman.

"Yuki-senpai! It's time for breakfast!" Informed Miki. Upon noticing her senpai was still sitting on the bed with a red face, her first reaction was to rush to her side.

"Do you have a fever, senpai? Your face is all red," placing her hand on Yuki's forehead, she checked her temperature but felt no overheating.

Shaking her head from side to side, Yuki replied with a smile. "Mmm… I'm fine, Mii-kun. You don't have to worry."

"That's good to hear," withdrawing her hand from Yuki, Miki stood up and walked towards the door. "Hurry up and dress, we're waiting for you."

"Okay, Mii-kun."

And with that, Miki exited the room while muttering 'Stop calling me Mii-kun already'. Once her voice was no longer heard, Yuki rises from her bed and began replacing her pajamas with her school uniform, including her hat. After the task was completed, she grabbed her bag and Taroumaru before running towards the clubroom.

* * *

"Let's dig in!"

"It's so dry…" Kurumi complained as she nibbled on a piece of hard biscuits.

"I don't mind hard crackers for breakfast, but they don't make much of a meal," Miki voiced her opinion.

"That's true," agreed Yuuri.

"We can't cook today, since the power's out," informed Megu-nee.

"I like blackouts, though. They're kind of exciting," Yuki gave her opinion while munching on the hard biscuits.

"Our shower is heated electrically you know," Kurumi reminded her.

"That means no hot water," added Miki.

Shocked, Yuki slumped on her chair lifelessly, "My bath…"

"You okay?" Kurumi asked her.

"You shouldn't be so spoiled, Yuki. It's not always all sunshine in our life. Sometimes there are also rains," interjected Yuuta who munched the crackers with a passive face.

"I hope it rains then…" Yuki said with a low voice.

"Why?" questioned Miki.

"So I can shower," Yuki replied with a grin.

"Are you a dog?" exclaimed Kurumi.

"Maybe," said Yuuri.

"Not even Taroumaru would do that," Miki statement was followed by a bark from Taroumaru.

"That's not really what I mean when I said that," Yuuta shook her head.

Suddenly, Yuki slammed her hands on the table and shouted, "Camping!"

"What?" The others tilted their heads in confusion.

"I said we'll go camping!" Yuki repeated her suggestion.

"Camping?" Megu-nee again repeated the word.

"Yeah, you know… schools do camping trips, right?" Yuki started explaining. "Since we're the School Living Club, we can camp out at school!"

"Oh, that sounds good!" Megu-nee voiced her approval of the idea.

"So we'll put tents in a classroom?" Miki inquired.

"I get it. You don't have electricity when you're camping," Kurumi mulled over the idea.

With a smile, Yuri said, "I think we've got a tent in the club room that can fit four."

"That's just big enough for all of us!" spoke Kurumi.

"Hey! What about me?" Their teacher exclaimed in shock.

"I-It's fine. If we squeeze together, you can fit too, Megu-nee," Yuki tried to comfort her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean …"

"Sorry, Megu-nee!"

Both Yuuri and Kurumi immediately apologized for their words. Megu-nee panicked and responded, "No, I was just joking. Someone should keep watch anyway."

"Oh yeah," Yuki leaned forward and held her teacher's hand. "Hey, Megu-nee. Thanks for all you do."

"Where'd that come from?" She said, puzzled.

"Yes, thank you."

"Megu-nee, thanks."

"Thank you very much."

The other three chimes in their thanks though Miki's sound very hesitant.

With a wide smile, she said in a happy voice, "Don't call me Megu-nee. It's Sakura-sensei."

"Okay!" Yuki replied and they all laughed… except for one person obviously, who've been silent for the whole time.

"So I'm forever alone huh?" He suddenly spoke. "I guess this is what I get for being the only guy in the club," said Yuuta in a depressed manner.

Everybody immediately turned their sights to him as they realized they've completely ignored and forgotten about him. Yuki quickly tried to cheer him up.

"Wah! I-I'm sorry, Yuu-kun. We didn't mean to ignore you, right everyone?" The other three nodded their heads.

"It's okay, Yuki, I understand," he looked sideways and sighed in a dramatical manner. "I wonder if I should leave and join another club.

"You can't do that!" The loud voice came not from Yuuri or Miki but surprisingly from Yuki. "I need you."

The other members including Yuuta were shocked to see her utmost objection of the idea, and the fact that she specifically said 'I need you'.

Upon realizing her outburst, Yuki's face flushed red as she began to panic and tried to correct her sentence. "I-I mean, we need you. In this club. That's why you can't leave. You all agree right," she turned to the other three female members.

"Yuki-chan, calm down. I'm sure Yuuta-kun's only joking about that," Yuuri said as she gestured her to sit down.

"You're joking right, Yuuta?" Kurumi questioned him.

"Y-Yeah, I was just joking. Not serious at all," stuttering, a red-faced Yuuta answered.

"That's pretty mean, Yuuta-senpai," commented Miki.

With a heavy sigh, Yuuta apologized. "I'm sorry."

"Really, Yuu-kun?"

"Yes, Yuki" he assured her. After a minute of silence, Yuuta opened his mouth, "I think I'll pass on the camping thing. You're all girls and it'd be really awkward if I were there, right? Plus, I doubt I can sleep at night so I guess I'll just be patrolling the area. If you don't mind me, Megu-nee."

The teacher in question shook her head, "No, I don't mind Kiriha-san."

"So you'll be on night watch with Yuu-kun, Megu-nee," Yuki stated.

Yuuri then clapped her hands to bring everyone's attention. "I guess that's settled. Let's prepare for the night shall we?" And with that, the group resumed their breakfast, though an unspeakable tension could be felt from two members of the club.

* * *

Night comes and the girls have pitched their tent inside an empty classroom. They're currently huddling inside in their school sports uniform and jerseys facing an electrical lantern in the middle.

"Feels like the real thing, huh?" Yuki said.

"Yeah. Ghost stories are great at times like these," Yuuri suggests.

This surprised the other three as Yuki and Kurumi voiced their objection.

"I know I said it feels real, but…"

"No way!"

Yuuri went closer to Kurumi and said in a spooky tone, "Do you know this one? On a dark night, just like tonight…"

Not wanting to hear more, Kurumi brought her hand on top of Yuuri's head. "Chop!" She just said "Ouch!" in a playful voice.

"Anything to share that's not a scary story, Mii-kun?" Yuki asked Miki next.

"Not especially," Miki answered with her usual tone.

The answer only served to raise Yuki's interest as she went towards her and hugged her. "There's gotta be something. Right? Right?" she said as she rubbed their body affectionately.

"I don't really care for physical contact," Miki said embarrassed as her hand reached for something.

"Oh? Why not?" Yuki questioned further but suddenly there was a pain in her head as she felt an object impacted with it. She immediately released her hold on Miki and held her head.

"This is why," said Miki while holding her sword in one hand.

"Oww… Mii-kun, swords are not meant to be used like that," Yuki informed.

"Do you want me to use it for its intended purpose on you?" asked Miki angrily.

"Oh, calm down Miki," Kurumi mediated between them.

Recovering from the pain on her head, Yuki suggested in a cheery voice, "Okay, then we'll tell romantic stories! About our crushes and stuff!"

"I don't want to…" Miki protested. "Do you have any tales of love to tell, Yuki-senpai?"

"Hmm…" Yuki thought for a moment and for some reason unknown to her, the image of a certain boy appeared in her mind. A faint red colour manifested on her cheeks and she shook her head quickly to dispell the thought.

"Hahaha, maybe I don't have any," she hastily replied though the stuttering in her voice did not escape the other member's attention.

"Oh~, really?" Kurumi said teasingly with a grin on her face. "You mean there's nothing going on between you and Yuuta."

At the mention of his name, the red on her face increased. "O-Of course not! There nothing between me and Yuu-kun," she hastily replied.

"Are you sure, Yuki-chan?" Yuuri asked her with a smile. "You two do seem really close to call each other by your first names, and you even call him 'Yuu-kun'."

"Err, that's because I like him," the moment she said those words, Yuki immediately regretted it.

"So you do like him, Yuki-senpai?" It was now Miki's turn to ask. "I wouldn't mind if you two become a couple, it would mean less bugging from you."

"I also approve of him," Kurumi spoke. "He's a good person alright. I don't think he would take advantage of you just to satisfy himself. He's also a capable fighter so he should be able to protect you," the other two nodded.

"Even with his laziness, he helped people and cares for them more than himself, just like he takes care of our safety, especially yours, Yuki-chan," Yuuri added.

"If you don't take him soon, others might you know," reminded Miki. "After all, you're not the only girl here," her words unknowingly brought pain in Yuki heart.

"So tell us, Yuki-chan," Yuuri, Kurumi, and Miki went closer to Yuki. "Do you love him?"

Overwhelmed by their words, Yuki's mind couldn't take it all and she went on autopilot.

"Ah, Megu-nee's back!" she said and immediately went under the covers.

"Huh, really?" Kurumi focused on her hearing and heard the sound of footsteps coming closer. "Wait, she's right!" The girls and Taroumaru then scrambled under their own blankets after turning the lantern off.

The sound of footsteps come closer and stopped before their tent. A light shined from outside as Yuki peeked from her covers and saw the shadows of two figures standing.

"Now, are there any naughty girls staying up past their bedtimes?" Megu-nee said.

"I don't think they're awake anymore, Megu-nee," Yuuta spoke to her.

"Well, make sure everyone go to sleep okay. It's late already."

With that, the two figures turned around and exited the room. After a while, Yuuri opened the entrance of the tent and peered outside. "All clear," she said after confirming they are alone again.

"Sakura-sensei and Yuuta-senpai are patrolling for us," Miki stated.

Kurumi rises from her bed. "That was close."

"Were you scared?" Yuuri asked her teasingly.

"Megu-nee's nothing to be scared of," she replied. "Yuuta might be, though," she said afterward.

"Yuki-senpai, it's all right now," Miki shook her body. However, she found that Yuki had closed her eyes and breathing slowly. In other words, she's already asleep.

"She's asleep? That's quick," Kurumi said in disbelief.

"Maybe she was tired, what's with all our questioning and pressuring. It's no wonder she dozed off to avoid us," Yuuri gave her explanation.

"I guess you're right. We should apologize to her tomorrow," Kurumi proposed. "I bet she never had any experience in this matter before."

"Are you saying you once had this kind of experience before, Kurumi-senpai?" Miki asked her.

"What? N-No of course not! It's just an instinct you know," Kurumi denied her question.

"Your reaction is not too convincing, Kurumi-senpai," Miki shot her an accusing look.

Kurumi sighed, "Look, I don't want to talk about it okay, at least not here. Not with Yuuta around. It's kind of sensitive to him." she explained.

"What's Yuuta-senpai got to do with this?" Miki questioned further but she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"That's enough, Miki-san," Yuuri stopped her. "Just leave it be. She'll tell if she wants to, right now it's time to sleep. It's getting late and we don't want to wake up Yuki-chan with our voice, right?"

Miki glanced towards Yuki sleeping figure and nodded. All three of them then lied back on their beds and after telling each other 'good night', went to sleep.

Unbeknownst to them, Yuki is not actually asleep. She had only pretended to look like she was asleep to avoid getting questioned by the other girls about something she's not certain about. She had also heard when they talked a little about Kurumi's potential love life(she have to ask her about that) and quite confused when she heard Yuuta's name being said. Just like before, she felt a strange feeling inside her chest when she heard it. After the others decided to call it a night and she was certain that they're asleep, Yuki opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling of the tent. She mulled over the thought of Yuuta and her together, what she felt in those times and what they meant. After a few minutes, she began to feel sleepy and closed her eyes to sleep for real this time. Before she dozed off, a final thought appeared in her mind.

'Yuu-kun. Do I really love you?'


	14. Chapter 14: Album and Sleeping Together

Chapter 14 - Album and Sleeping Together

"It's morning already, huh?"

I asked myself as I looked outside through one of the broken window on the floor I'm currently patrolling. The sun peaking through the horizon and the increased volume of the undead growling down at the courtyard seem to answer my question.

"Guess it's time for breakfast, and then some sleep."

Planning the rather brief objective for the day, I turned around and began walking towards the clubroom in the hopes of a decent meal for the beginning of the day.

Passing in front of one of the many barricades in the school, I heard the sound of something hitting against the wood of the desk forming a majority of the barricade. Creeping slowly towards the arrangement of desks and chairs, I placed my hand on the handle of my sword, readying my mind for anything.

Arriving at the barricade, I saw a lone undead, male from its uniform, bringing its hand towards the barricade, repeatedly hitting it as if to went over to the other side.

I relaxed, withdrawing my hand from my sword and began observing this undead. Staring at it for a while, I couldn't help but think whether one day I'll also be one of them or not, trapped inside a body that I can't control, potentially hurting other peoples including the ones that I care. Just like my mother and sister.

"I would rather kill myself or let others kill me if that ever happens," I clenched my right hand as I said it. Bringing my left hand to the barricade, I placed it in front of the undead, though separated by the desks and chairs.

In a soft whisper, I spoke to it. "I'm sorry I couldn't do anything to release you from this state at the moment. But this I promise you," gritting my teeth, I resolved myself. "I will find a way to free all of you from your prison, no matter how long or how difficult it takes."

The undead keeps hitting the barrier separating us and not understanding my words, though I imagined for a while that it understand when it paused for a second. Turning my back on it, I continued my walk towards the clubroom. 'Hopefully, things won't get awkward between me and Yuki today.'

* * *

The breakfast, as I hoped, went normally without any weird events that resulted in me blushing or Yuki stuttering. The normalcy is jarring but I reminded myself that this is not a problem, and I'm right. I don't need another reminder about my feelings towards Yuki.

As I exited the clubroom after the meal, I went to my room and with my backpack as a pillow, rested my head on it and closed my eyes, ready to sleep for the day(I do find this quite weird you know. Sleeping during the day and waking up at night, I wonder if I'll turn into a bat at this rate).

As I opened my eyes again, what I noticed first was the heat radiating from the floor. I immediately lifted my head and body to escape the heat reaching into my skin. 'No wonder I dreamt about being burned by a dragon!" I thought to myself.

I glanced towards the window portion of the wall, realizing that it must've been noon what's with the heat and the length of my shadow. Touching the floor to check the temperature, I don't need a thermometer to know that it is indeed hot and definitely unpleasant to sleep on.

Seeing that I've awakened and the heat effectively preventing me from resuming my sleep, I draw out from inside my bag the book I've been reading since coming back from the mall.

Flipping the pages towards my last checkpoint, I went over to the shades where the floor is slightly less hot and more acceptable. Reaching my last page, I began reading.

After an hour of reading, I was only a chapter away from the ending but at that moment, my stomach began to rumble loudly, reminding me to eat something. Even though I very much want to continue reading and finishing the book, the constant rumbling from my stomach thwarted the plan and so, I found myself walking towards the clubroom to satisfy my hunger.

"Hey, everyone," I raised my hand to greet them.

Inside the clubroom were the girls(and Taroumaru) sitting on the chairs writing something on a piece of paper with pieces of other papers on the table.

"Oh! Hey, Yuu-kun!"

"Hmm. Yo, Yuuta"

"Good evening, Yuuta-kun"

"G-Good evening, Yuuta-senpai"

"Woof!"

The girls(including Taroumaru) greeted me from whatever they're doing. I don't think I need to state who said what since they each called me differently.

"What are you all doing?" I questioned as I took my place, as usual, facing the windows opposite from where Megu-nee was supposed to sit. As I sat, I noticed that they were drawing(for Yuki and Miki) and writing(in Yuuri's and Kurumi's case) on the papers. Some of the pictures were drawn beautifully while the others were like scribbles.

"A graduation album!" Yuki held a notebook as she said this. "A School-Living Club special!"

"A graduation album?" I repeated in confusion.

"It's to show what we were doing inside the school and our activities!" Yuki explained.

I nodded in understanding. "So it's like a record of what we do in the club so the others know that we're not just fooling around inside the school and actually doing something useful," a metaphorical arrow went through Yuki as I said this.

Yuuri giggled at my interpretation, "It was Yuki-chan's idea and we just went along with it."

"Ya gotta have a record for this kind of thing after all," Kurumi added.

"Do you want to help us, Yuuta-senpai?" Miki asked me.

"I don't know about that," I scratched the back of my head. "I'm not too good with drawing, to be honest."

"That's okay," said Kurumi. "Yuki's terrible at them too."

"Kurumi-chan, you meanie," Yuki pouted at Kurumi's statement.

"I wonder if that's a good thing or not," I smirked a little.

"It's all right, Yuuta-kun," Yuuri assured me. "Just do it as you like."

"If that's what you say," I reached and grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil. "But what should I write about?"

"About any fun times that you remember!" Yuki said with a smile.

'Fun times, huh?' I closed my eyes as I try to remember any memory that counts as fun. There are quite a few that could count, such as the time Ruiko was born, when my father first gave me the sword to train with, that time when my mother prepared a surprise birthday party for me, and that's only with my family. There are also some with my friends, like every time when Sakaki pulled a prank on a teacher and I didn't get caught, watching Shuuya winning the soccer nationals during middle school and high school, also just hanging out with them at the mall or the arcade.

There were many moments to choose from, but then I realized something. I never actually felt any fun or joy during those times. My facial expression may show that I was having fun but my heart there was never any feeling in my heart that tells me that I'm having fun or happy. Of course, I do feel happy sometimes but what I meant was that feeling of joy, when your heartbeat is beating wildly and your blood is boiling, your mind sharpens and your body readies itself for anything, and most importantly, the warm feeling in you heart that signifies that you're really glad and satisfied with the result.

Listing down the criteria, I finally found the moment when I felt the most fun and happiness in my whole life. It was not with my family or with my friends.

It was with Yuki.

I recall the forgotten memory from many years ago, to my first meeting with Yuki. That time, I don't know what compelled me to protect her from the kids bullying her, I never really cared for other people besides my family. I also don't know how I managed to fend off three kids older than me, but the feeling during my fight with them, it was pure fun, the adrenaline rushing through my veins, the feeling of protectiveness, I felt it all and it brought a sense of joy that I never felt thought I could feel. And the moment when I met her when she is crying, was the only instance where I actually smiled for someone. When I played with her, it fills my heart with a warm feeling that lasts for several days. She was the one that showed me, someone who could be called a cynic at a young age, happiness, fun, and now, love.

"Yuu-kun, is something wrong?"

Yuki's voice brought me back to reality. I looked at her and saw in her eyes, the image of myself. In that moment, all my doubts, despair, sadness and grief disappeared. All of it was replaced with a glimpse of my future, and in them, I saw my fate, my chosen fate.

"No, Yuki. Everything's fine," I replied. She seemed content with my answer and went back to her drawings. I turned to Yuuri and asked her, "Ri-san, don't you have to prepare lunch right now?"

She cupped her mouth with one hand. "That's right. Thanks for reminding me, Yuuta-kun," she then got up from her chair and walked to the kitchen stove.

"I'll be making fried vegetables and meat, is that okay everyone?" The others voiced their approval.

After that, we continued our jobs completing the scrapbook with lunch after we were done. Of course, I did not draw that event and instead drew the things that had transpired during my stay here starting from my arrival to the school and meeting them.

As the sun started to set, I went to the showers to clean and refresh myself for my night watch. Having finished, I walked towards my room to rest a bit. Arriving there, I opened my bag for the book again to read until dinner calls. Placing my hand inside it, I unexpectedly picked out something that I've forgotten all this time.

The necklaces.

The pair of necklaces that I bought during the day it all started. Opening the box, I confirmed that they're still in good condition. Absentmindedly, I held the blue necklace and wore it around my neck. It fits quite good if I may add. Placing the box now containing only the pink necklace inside my bag, I found the book I was looking for and resumed reading until the end.

The ending was bittersweet by the way.

* * *

"Yuki-chan, can you call Yuuta-kun here, please. It's dinner time," Yuuri called out to Yuki.

"Okay!" Yuki cheerfully responded and exited the clubroom. She walked along the hallway to Yuuta's room but stopped herself just before she touched the door's handle.

'This is the first time I've been in Yuu-kun's room. Actually, this is the first time I've been in a boy's room. Should I really enter?' she contemplated in her mind.

'No, Ri-san said to call Yuu-kun. That's what I'm supposed to do!' Resolving herself, she pulled the door and it slides open, revealing Yuuta leaning against the wall opposite from the door. His eyes closed and breathing slow, he radiated an aura of peacefulness as he sleeps, contrasting to the chaos of the outside world. There's also the fact that he sleeps almost anywhere and anytime.

Stepping into the room, Yuki approached him quietly so as not to disturb his slumber. Upon reaching his figure, she placed her hand on Yuuta's shoulder and shook it.

"Yuu-kun, wake up," she said in a low voice. As expected of Yuuta, he did not even stir at the interruption.

"Yuu-kun, wake up!" raising her voice, Yuki tried another time to wake him up while stile shaking his body. Again, no reaction from Yuuta.

"Yuu-kun, WAKE UP!" shouting with all she got, she yelled at him, vehemently shaking Yuuta's body along the way. Defying all odds(well, he is the one supposed to turn all odds in his favor), Yuuta still leaned calmly against the wall, a serene look on his face despite Yuki's best effort to wake him up.

"Mou~, I give up," deciding to let Yuuta win the round for today, Yuki got down and sat on his left side. Stretching her legs, she leaned herself against the wall in the same manner as Yuuta.

"Yuu-kun, you're such a sleepyhead," Yuki commented on Yuuta sleeping tendencies. "But I guess it's good to be able to sleep anywhere and anytime you want," she glanced at Yuuta. "That's one of the things I like about you, Yuu-kun."

Quickly realizing what she just uttered, she immediately denied it. "Ah, f-forget what I said okay. I didn't mean it that way." Since Yuuta was still sleeping, he didn't respond in any way.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she lifted her hand and poked Yuuta's cheeks with her finger. "Yuu-kun. Are you really sleeping?" As she touched his face, she noticed a glitter of metal on Yuuta's neck. Curious, Yuki reached into his shirt's inside(blushing all the way of course) and pulled out the item. It turns out to be a necklace with a blue heart-shaped pendant surrounded by little glittering diamonds. She marveled at the beauty of the jewelry and wondering why Yuuta wears it.

Unfortunately, while Yuki was staring at the necklace, she accidentally pulled his shirt and Yuuta, not having any control of his own body, fell sideways towards Yuki with his head landing on her thighs.

"Eh. EEHHHH!?" Surprised at the turn of event, Yuki panicked and tried standing up, but it seems that Yuuta is much heavier than her and she is stuck in the place.

"Yuu-kun, please wake up!" Yuki tried once again shaking Yuuta's body to awaken him but like earlier, it failed. Moreover, Yuuta, as if he is still awake, snuggled his head on Yuki legs, eliciting a massive blush from her.

"Wah, what should I do?" Yuki asked herself. "Ri-san's going to be mad if I don't bring Yuu-kun, and the others are going to tease me again if they see this," looking at Yuuta's sleeping face, still calm and peaceful despite her panic, she smiled and brushed away a little of his hair. "But I guess I won't really mind it, as long as you're with me," closing her eyes, she drifted off and joined Yuuta in his slumber.

Peeking from a little opening at the door, Yuuri smiled at the scene before her. 'Those two are really made for each other,' she thought.

Of course, when she asked Yuki to call Yuuta earlier, she didn't think that this would happen, but nevertheless, she's quite pleased with the development. It warms her heart that she is given a chance to see a tale of love blossoming before her very eyes. 'If things go well enough, perhaps they can even get married,' she imagines how that would be. She could perfectly picture in her mind the same scene happening in the future but with a slightly older Yuuta and Yuki with their children playing in front of them.

"Yuuri-senpai, what are you doing?" a voice broke her out of her imagination. Turning to the side, she discovered that it was Miki.

"Ah, Miki-san. Why are you here?" standing up, she greeted her.

Trying to keep a neutral face, Miki responded. "I should be the one asking you that question, Yuuri-senpai. Why are you peeking into Yuuta-senpai's room? And where is Yuki-senpai?"

"Well… maybe you should see for yourself," Yuuri gestured her hand to the room. Miki, feeling curious, peeked her eye through the narrow opening at the door and saw her two senpais sleeping together like a married couple. A slight pain appeared inside her chest when she watched them for reasons unknown to her.

Withdrawing herself from looking at the scene, she spoke to Yuuri. "Should we leave them there, Yuuri-senpai? Is it safe for us to do so?" she inquired.

Shaking her head, Yuuri replied. "I don't think it will be a problem. They're asleep right now and it would be rude to interrupt their moment."

"But!" Miki accidentally spoke a little too loudly so Yuuri gestured her to be quiet. "What if they did something… else than that," she continued in a low voice.

"Hmm?" Yuuri smiled coyly. "What else could they be doing? Would you like to explain, Miki-san?"

Miki blushed at her teasing but resumed her point nonetheless. "You know, what a boy and a girl do when they are in the same room."

"I don't think I quite understand, Miki-san. Care to elaborate in more detail?" Yuuri asked, still smiling.

By this moment, Miki was already blushing like mad and she was nearing her breaking point. "They might do something inappropriate like..." unable to spit the word out, Miki lets a breath out to calm herself down. "It doesn't matter. Let's return to the clubroom Yuuri-senpai, before Kurumi-senpai finished all the foods," turning away, she went back towards where she came from.

Watching at Miki's retreating back, Yuuri let out a giggle. 'It seems like Miki-san is a little jealous of them. I can understand why though,' she glanced towards the room where Yuki and Yuuta resides, 'I also would like to have a boy who would treat me just like what Yuuta-kun did to Yuki-chan, someone who would love me for who I am, on the outside and on the inside,' looking once more at the room, she sighed before also walking back to the clubroom.

'I wonder if there's someone like that out there'

* * *

Waking up from sleep is not something I particularly like. Granted, it's also not something I excel at. This trait has been pointed out by various peoples in my life, especially by my friends, specifically Sakaki. I don't know why, but I never find it pleasing to be interrupted while we were indulging ourselves in our dreams. I very much prefer to drown myself in a sea of dream where an endless possibility awaits, where I can do everything and anything I want. The line between dream and reality is distinctively clear to me.

"Hmm…Yuu-kun…"

This time, however, would be the first in many instances where that line is blurred.

"Hmm…Kurumi-chan…Mii-kun"

Blinking my eyes to make sure I'm seeing right, I had confirmed that, yes, I'm staring at Yuki's face a few centimeters above me, and yes, I'm lying down on something soft that I presumed are Yuki's legs.

'All right, one…two…three…' taking a deep breath, I shouted, "How the heck did this happen!?" propelling myself away from Yuki while doing so.

After a series of calming breaths to recover from the miniature heart attack, I looked towards the window to check for the current time. It seemed that nighttime had fully arrived while I was asleep with the moon already out casting its shine.

Having confirmed the time, I also realized something important. 'Wait, does that mean I missed dinner?' gasping in horror upon the realization, I sighed in despair. "Such misfortune."

Returning back to the matter at hand, I still had to figure out why Yuki is here in my room. Thinking for a while, I slowly began to connect the dots. 'Hold on a second, if I remember correctly, the time when I think I fell asleep couldn't be that far from dinner, and judging from Yuki's posture, she should be here at least several minutes after I dozed off,' nearing closer to the ending, I placed one hand on my chin. 'So that must mean she had something to do with dinner, probably to inform me that dinner is ready,' spreading my other hand on my face while still opening my eyes, I finally drew the ultimate conclusion. "And so, she must've fallen asleep beside me after finding out that I'm hard to wake up and I unconsciously fell from my position onto her thighs. Haha, I'm a genius, if I say so myself."

Laughing for a few more seconds on my brilliance, I stopped myself to prevent any more embarrassment. "Okay, I think that's enough gloating. I better go to the clubroom right now, with any luck, there should be some food left for me," picking my sword from the floor, I began to walk towards the entrance before I remembered something, or should I say, someone, that is still here.

Approaching Yuki, I grabbed my bag and slowly lied her on the floor with her head on top of the bag. Next, I picked a folded blanket that I seldom used and covered her up from neck to toe. Finally, I carefully removed her cat-eared shaped hat from her head and set it down right next to her. After confirming that she is still asleep, I exited the room but not without uttering a final sentence to her.

"Sweet dreams, Yuki."


	15. Chapter 15: Feelings and Letters

Chapter 15 – Feelings and Letters

"Yuki-senpai, wake up. It's morning already!"

Before Yuki's sleeping figure, Miki tried to wake her up by shaking her body, repeatedly. Opening one eye, Yuki asked in a sleepy manner.

"What time is it?" she drawled. Bringing her upper body up, she observed her surroundings and seemed surprised that she's not in her room.

"Huh, where am I?" she asked in a still-not-quite-awake tone. Miki, not wanting to waste any more time, stated the answer to her. "You're in Yuuta-senpai's room, did you forgot already."

"Why am I in Yuu-kun's room?" her mind fully awake now, she inquired before the events of last evening came to her. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks as she remembered what she did with Yuuta.

"Don't you remember, you slept in Yuuta-senpai's room when Yuuri-senpai asked you to call for him," sighing Miki added. "I don't know how you can end up sleeping together in this situation."

Perplexed on how Miki would now what happened, Yuki questioned her. "How did you know that Mii-kun?" Miki averted her gaze from Yuki, mumbling something that sounds suspiciously like "Yuuri-senpai's fault". Hearing that, Yuki, as airhead as she is, began to have an idea of what happened.

"Wait, did you and Ri-san saw it!?" she blurted out. Miki, still not looking her in the eyes, let out a barely audible "Yes" that shattered Yuki's soul when it was spoken. Slumping forward lifelessly, she turned white with embarrassment. "My reputation…"

Seeing her upperclassman react so dramatically, Miki giggled softly which was heard by Yuki. "Don't laugh at me, Mii-kun. It's embarrassing you know."

"Sorry, sorry," finishing her giggle, Miki turned to Yuki. "It's just that you made it look really funny. I never saw you like this, but I like it. It shows that you're still a normal person."

Ignoring the 'still a normal person' part, Yuki retorted back. "It's not funny, this is serious," she said with a serious expression not befitting her that only served to illicit a laugh from Miki. "How can I face Yuu-kun today. I'd be embarrassed if I see him now, and you all would tease me again about it, right," she implored.

"It's going to be all right," her laughter ended, she gave the reply to Yuki. "We promised you the day before yesterday that we won't tease you again, remember," her answer didn't seem to placate Yuki's doubt, however. "Also, what are you going to do about Yuuta-senpai, avoid him?" she placed her hand on Yuki's shoulder. "That'll only make matters worse between the two of you."

"Then… what should I do?" hiding her face with her hands, she asked a little desperately at her underclassman. Miki, her amusement gone and being completely serious, spoke to her.

"Just act like you always did," surprised at her words, Yuki revealed her face and saw Miki who was smiling at her. "Give him your usual smile, and interact with him normally. That'll help you to calm down your nerves," she advised her.

Regaining a bit of her normal confidence, Yuki asked her again for assurance. "Really? Will that really do, Mii-kun?"

Patting Yuki on the head, Miki nodded. "Yes. Now come on," she stood up and walked towards the door. "It's breakfast time, hurry up or you'll miss it," she motioned for Yuki to follow her.

"Hmm!" Yuki nodded and followed her. "What's for today's breakfast?" she asked Miki.

"It's udon if I'm not mistaken," she replied. Yuki perked up upon the mention of the food. Taking Miki by the hand, she rushed over to the clubroom.

"Then we have to hurry!" she said while pulling Miki. Miki struggled with her pace and shouted at her.

"Senpai, slow down!"

* * *

"Ohh!" Yuki, Kurumi, Miki, Yuuri, Yuuta and Taroumaru wowed in delight at the sight of food before them.

"This looks delicious!" Yuki exclaimed.

"Itadakimasu!" clapping their hands together, the members of the School-Living Club began eating their meal.

Sipping her noodles, Yuki said in happiness. "Yum! The gardening club's onions ate so tasty!"

"It was nice of them to share, wasn't it?" Yuuri informed.

Yuki nodded. "Yeah!"

Sipping her food and slowly tasting the flavour, Miki made a face of someone reaching enlightenment. "This udon is so delicious," she stated, before noticing that Yuki's eating her own meal in a rapid manner. "Uh… Huh?"

"As usual, she's inhaling it so fast, she isn't listening," Kurumi spoke.

"Yuki, the food's not going anywhere so slow down a bit," reprimanded Yuuta.

"That's right, you're not Taroumaru," Kurumi added.

"No, Taroumaru has better table manners," Miki defended her companion. "Anyway, it's amazing what you can store without refrigeration nowadays," she commented.

"The udon's all springy!" said Yuki, still inhaling her food.

"Another win for science," stated Kurumi.

"Science have come a long way after all," Yuuta spoke from his seat.

"Indeed. We can eat hot udon thanks to the solar panels and power storage units," informed Yuuri.

"Most schools aren't equipped with those," Miki commented.

"All finished!" Yuki placed her now empty bowl on the table. "Ri-san, I want seconds!"

"Sorry, Yuki-chan, we don't have any left for seconds," Yuuri apologized.

"We had to ration the stuff we brought back from the club outing," informed Kurumi.

"Oh…" Yuki sighed in disappointment. "That was such a fun outing, though!" she perked back and looked at Miki. "We got to make friends with Mii-kun!"

"Th-Thank you," Miki voiced her thanks.

"Maybe you could tell me sometime about what happened," Yuuta, having also finished his udon, joined the conversation.

"That was a rough time, it was," Kurumi said.

"It sure was," agreed on Yuuri.

"Coming home with us four girls and Taroumaru crammed in that little car…" Kurumi reminiscences.

"I fell asleep right away, so I don't remember the ride," spoke Miki.

"Yeah. I was driving , Ri-san was up front with me, and Taroumaru was bouncing all over the back seat," Kurumi laughed as she remembered. "I can't believe you two slept through all that."

"Huh?" Yuki suddenly jolted up. "It was just us two in the back?" she asked in a low tone. The others immediately realized the mistake.

"That's weird. I know… the car seated four… " she stated. "Yeah… Me, Ri-san, Kurumi-chan, Mii-kun, and Megu-nee…" Yuki tried to recall her memories of that day. "The four of us…" not finding Megu-nee inside the memory, her mind became jumbled. "Huh?" perplexed, a locked up memory resurfaced itself.

Standing up and knocking her chair in the process, she clutched her hand over her chest.

"Senpai…? Miki asked cautiously at her.

With a shaken voice, Yuki questioned the others. "What about Megu-nee?"

Kurumi and Yuuri glanced at each other before Kurumi answered. "O-Oh, you were asleep, so maybe you didn't hear, but Megu-nee's house was nearby, so she walked home instead of riding with us," in a doubtful tone, she replied Yuki.

"Yes, that's right," Yuuri gave her confirmation on the matter.

"She… did?" was all Yuki said.

"Yeah!" Kurumi stated a little too enthusiastically. "Right?" she then directed the question at Miki.

Miki, surprised, only replied with a meek "Yes…"

"Yuu-kun… what about you?" Yuki asked Yuuta next.

Yuuta, also surprised, answered hastily. "Hey, I'm not there right, so of course I don't know," was what he said, but the moment he looked into Yuki's eyes, he immediately regretted it.

Yuki ran to the door.

"Yuki-chan!" Yuuri called to her.

"I'll go ask Megu-nee!" Yuki shouted back.

After she's already outside the room, Miki lowered her head. "I'm sorry," she apologized.

"Don't worry about it," assured Kurumi. "It's no one's fault."

Clenching his fists, Yuuta stood up. "I'll go find her," he said with a determined tone. Turning his back, he took a step to the door but then felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Yuuta-kun, you don't have to worry about her," Yuuri's voice was gentle as she said it, almost like a mother reassuring her child. "Yuki-chan's going to be fine. She would do this sometimes but she'll always be all right after a while."

"Still-!" Yuuta protested only to be interrupted by Kurumi.

"Yuuta, I know you care about her, but you've gotta let her be by herself sometimes," hearing her words, Yuuta's body relaxed from its tense state.

Seeing this Yuuri took over from Kurumi. "We appreciate you cooperating with Yuki-chan's delusion we really do, but we also understand that it can get tiring after a while. If you want, you can just ignore her when she talks or stay silent to preserve her illusion." Yuuri retreated her hand from Yuuta. "Just doing that is enough for us."

"No."

"Huh?"

His single word brought confusion to Yuuri. Still with his back turned, he spoke with a voice full of resolve.

"I'm not doing this because I have to. The reason I interact with her like this is because I want to," a look if shock spread on Yuuri's features. Gritting his teeth, Yuuta continued. "Her smile is what drives me forward, the one that encourages me to do my best no matter what comes. It is something that I've always searched in this world, the proof that this world is still beautiful. I will keep maintaining this farce as long as it takes until Yuki herself says 'stop'. Only then will I stop, and even so, if she wants to continue it again, I will respect her wish."

Facing the others, he spoke with an undeterred will. "Please understand, Ri-san. All of you are my reason to live now, and I won't let any of you to fall towards sadness. I will make sure of everyone's happiness, on my life."

Finally finishing his speech, Yuuta left the clubroom with his sword, leaving the other members open-mouthed.

Silence reigned the space until Miki broke it with her question.

"Was that really Yuuta-senpai?" those words brought Yuuri and Kurumi out of a trance they didn't realize they're in. Coughing a bit to clear her mind, Kurumi answered Miki's question.

"I don't know, I never saw him like that," Kurumi replied with a tone of disbelief. "But the way he said it, he seemed really serious about her. Although I've got to admit, he does look quite cool for a while there," she added the last part with a faint blush while rubbing the back of her head.

"Indeed you're right, Kurumi," Yuuri brushed the bundle of hair she kept tied as a hint of red appeared on her cheeks. "To think that he really cares for us that much, I don't know what to say."

"Yuuta-senpai… he really does love Yuki-senpai after all," Miki said to the other two.

Red-faced, the girls lowered their heads and sighed. In unison, they spoke with a disappointed voice.

"Why does it have to be her?"

* * *

Standing in front a door, Yuki sobbed quietly while hugging a teddy bear. Her hair covering her eyes, she calls for her teacher.

"Megu-nee… You're here, right, Megu-nee?" she kept saying.

"Yes, I'm here, Yuki-chan," came the reply from Megu-nee. "No matter how faint my presence is, I'll always be beside you."

"But I get confused sometimes, there are memories that I don't recognise, and feelings that I don't know about. Ne… Megu-nee, what does this all mean," Yuki asked her teacher.

"All people's memories are vague, that's why you have to do something like write a letter or keep a diary to remember them. As for the feelings, it's part of you maturing."

"Maturing?" Yuki repeated the word.

"Yes, you're not going to be forever a little girl, Yuki-chan. Someday, you're going to grow up to be a beautiful woman, I'm sure of that. Those emotions that you feel are all part of growing up, it means that you've found the one you're destined for."

"The one I'm destined for?"

"You'll understand eventually," with a giggle, she resumed. "For now, go back to them. Keep those feelings that you've acquired in your heart, and only reveal them when the time is right. Don't worry, you'll know when that is."

Her tears dried up, Yuki nodded to her teacher and smiled. "Yeah, thank you, Megu-nee."

"Yuki!"

Hearing someone calling her, Yuki turned her head to the side and saw Yuuta running towards her. Slowing a bit after noticing her, he opened her mouth to say something but was surprised when Yuki suddenly hugged him.

"Y-Y-Yuki!? Are you all right?" he asked in a panic and flustered state. Snuggling her head on Yuuta, Yuki replied with a clear voice.

"Yes, I'm fine, Yuu-kun. Sorry that I've worried you and the others, but I'm all right now."

"That's a relief," Yuuta let out a breath. "Let's go to the clubroom then, you've got to make up with the others too." Patting Yuki's head for a second, he held out a hand to her.

Seeing his gesture, Yuki seemed hesitant at first to accept it. However, she heard her teacher encouraging her from behind.

"Come on now, take it."

Hearing those words and accompanied by the smile on Yuuta's face, she reached out and held his hand tight, almost as if not wanting to let go. Mirroring the smile of her companion, they strode back towards the clubroom, reassuring themselves in each others presence.

* * *

"I'm back!"

The cheery voice of Yuki resounded through the room as the door slides open, revealing Yuki's and Yuuta's figure. Kurumi, Yuuri and Miki were surprised for a moment but quickly regained their composure.

"Hey."

"Welcome back."

"Greetings."

"Woof."

The girls and Taroumaru welcomed the two's return as they went to their seats. They noticed Yuki and Yuuta holding hands when they entered but decided to not ask any question since they pretty much already accepted the two's relationship and usual interaction.

"Heh, I'm sorry about earlier," Yuki spoke as she rubbed the back of her head with a dopey smile. "Megu-nee said that what you guys told were true and confirmed it, so… sorry," she bowed her head a little.

"It's okay, Yuki-chan, We understand."

"Ya, don't worry too much about it."

"As long as you're back to normal, senpai."

The other members replied her apology with assurance. The situation then turned into one of silence as each of them did nothing but relax on their own chairs.

"Aahhh…"

The quietness was eventually broken by Yuuta's loud yawn. Slumping his head on the table, he closed his eyes and spoke to the others.

"Guess it's time for my nap. Hope you girls don't mind but I'm going to chill in my room for a few hours," he closed his eyes. "Or maybe I could just settle down here."

"Hey, Yuuta," Kurumi suddenly voices herself. "I've got a question."

"What?" Yuuta willed himself to sit upright and face Kurumi.

"Why do you always tend to sleep during the day?" inquired Kurumi.

"Now that you mention it senpai, it is really strange," Miki spoke as realization hits her and the other two girls. "It's unnatural to sleep so frequently, no matter how lazy you are."

"Right, right, it's suspicious," Kurumi added. "What kind of things did ya did in the past?"

"Would you mind answering their questions, Yuuta-kun," Yuuri joined the conversation looking just as interested herself.

Yuki raised her hands energetically in the air. "Maybe Yuu-kun is actually a hero of justice, fighting bad guys at night and helping other peoples!"

"Huh?" the others reaction was an expected one, perplexed on how Yuki got that image in her head.

"So you all want to know why, huh?" Kurumi, Miki, Yuuri and Yuki nodded. Inwardly, Yuuta smiled deviously as an idea hit him. 'It's trolling time again it seems, and this time it's not something that can harm me in any way,' having worked out his plan, he faced the girls with the a serious look.

"Actually, this is a secret that I've kept hidden for many years," he spoke in a dramatically low tone. "It's not something that I can reveal so easily. But since I regard you all as my close companion now, as long as you promise not to say it to another person, I will tell you," he looked at them. "Is this clear?"

The girls were now absorbed in his tone of story and they nodded their heads. Seeing this Yuuta smiled, 'Looks like it worked. I guess listening to Sakaki's rambling for several years do pay off in the end,' he thought before continuing. "To tell the truth… I'm actually a bat in my previous life," said Yuuta with a perfectly straight face.

"Huh?" The girls look confused for the second time that day. They stared at Yuuta before all of them laughed.

"Hahaha," Kurumi giggled uncontrollably. "Now that's funny. Ya mean you're a bat in your previous life, and that's why you're nocturnal. Hahaha."

"That's a good joke, Yuuta-senpai," Miki spoke in between her chuckling while Yuuri tried to hide her laugh with her hand.

"Is that really true, Yuu-kun?" Yuki asked with a smile after she restrained her giggle.

"Oh, it is true," Yuuta replied with a smile of his own, albeit a more sinister one. "But that's not all you know. I was not just any bat," his smile widened, revealing his teeth. "I was a vampire bat."

"A vampire bat?" Yuki covered her mouth and stated in surprise.

"Yes, a vampire bat. Every night I would go out in search of fresh blood," he slowly rose from his chair. "Furthermore, I especially liked the blood from cute little girls since they taste so sweet," Yuuta finally stopped behind Yuki, held her chair and crouched down. "Guess who's like that in here."

"Erm… Mii-kun?" Yuki said in fear. Yuuta shook his head from side to side. "Kurumi-chan? Or maybe Ri-san?" again her answer is wrong. "Could it be… Taroumaru?"

"That last one is not even a girl you know," Yuuta brought his mouth to just beside Yuki's ear. "No, it's you, Yuki," her body tensed as she heard it. "I wonder how sweet would you taste?" Yuuta licked his lips in a suggestive manner. "You better run if you don't want to get caught," he spoke in a creepy tone.

"WAAHH!" Yuki immediately jolted from her seat and bolted to the door. "Help me, Ri-san, Mii-kun, Kurumi-chan! Don't let Yuu-kun catch me!" she shouted at her friends.

Yuuta, already expecting her reaction, quickly followed her to give chase. "You're not going anywhere, Yuki. Surrender yourself, muahahaha!" he laughed like a maniac.

The other three members just watched in amusement at the scene before them. Not bothering to help Yuki, they occupied themselves with the two's antics as Yuki ran with all her might to stay out of Yuuta's reach. All along the hallway they go, with Yuuta purposefully letting Yuki ran in front of him, maintaining a close distance but still out of his grasp. After several minutes, Yuki entered back into the clubroom and went around the table. Yuuta of course followed but as Yuki rounded a corner safely, the same couldn't be said about Yuuta. He, having a bigger momentum than Yuki, crashed into the cabinet and fell, along with a box placed on top of the cabinet, its contents scattered on the floor.

"Owowow" he grunted in pain as he held his head from the impact.

"Yuu-kun!" Yuki immediately responded and went to his side. The others and Taroumaru also went closer to him.

"Are you okay?" spoke Miki.

"You're fine there, Yuuta?" Kurumi asked and offered a hand to him. Yuuta gratefully accepted it and pulled himself up.

"Thanks, Kurumi. Urgh, my head hurts…" shaking his head to dispel the dizziness, he stumbled forward and sat on a chair.

Yuuri kindly brought Yuuta some water and he drank it, closing his eyes and resting on the chair after he is done. Yuki meanwhile, were staring at the fallen box.

"Hey, what do you think this is?"

"Are they Megu-nee's things?" Yuuri hypothesized.

"What a mess," Miki immediately went to work on the scattered things, reorganizing them back.

"Let me help," said Yuuri as she also crouched on the floor.

"Ah, I'll appreciate that, senpai."

"Look!" Yuki suddenly screamed. Everyone turned their eyes on her. "Hey, look at this!" she said while holding a piece of paper. "Why don't we write a letter?" she proposed.

"Writing letters is fine and all, but how will we send them?" Kurumi asked after the group decided to go along with Yuki's suggestion. The equipment and stationary are already laid on the table and the mess also cleared.

"Oh right. The post office is outside the school," Yuki realized

"You didn't think of that?" reprimanded Miki.

"Then why don't we just mail them straight from school?" Yuuri provided her solution.

"Ohh~" the three gasped in understanding. "When you think of mail, you think of carrier pigeons," Kurumi suddenly stated. "And where are we going to get a carrier pigeon?" Miki asked. "We'll go catch one now!" retorted Kurumi. "But how are we going to catch one?" Yuki questioned further.

"With this!" Kurumi showed her shovel.

"You're gonna mince it!?" Yuki exclaimed in surprise. "Nah, I'll hit it with the flat side, like this!" Kurumi swung her shovel several times.

"Maybe this won't work."

"She'd never land a hit."

Yuuri and Miki commented from the side. Yuuta, now done resting, decided to join in on the discussion.

"So anyone got a nonviolent method that can work?" Yuki smiled smugly at the question and procured a packet of balloons from behind her. "If we're sending letters, we can use these!"

"Aren't those from the test of courage?" Kurumi recognised the item. Yuki promptly took out one of the balloons and started blowing into it. "No, they won't float if you blow them with air," Yuuta reminded her. "My my," said Yuuri. The balloon then popped, surprising everyone.

"If only we had some helium gas…" Miki spoke after a while.

"Oh, there might be an old tank that the scuba club used," Yuuri remembered.

"We had a scuba club?" Miki said in shock.

"A long time ago, yes," Yuuri replied. "I'll go check it out," Kurumi stood up. "Wait," Yuuri stopped her. "You can't carry an air tank by yourself," Yuuri voiced on the matter.

"I'll go with her," Yuuta also stood up from his seat. "I doubt it's that heavy."

"Then… take care," Yuuri waved them off.

"I want to go too!" Yuki spoke up, only to be shot down by Miki. "Senpai, sit down please."

"Yuki-chan, why don't you write your letter first," Yuuri calmed her. "Oh, yeah," Yuki sat down. "It's not like Yuu-kun and Kurumi-chan are going to do anything when they're alone, right?" she asked with an innocently scary smile.

"Err… right," the other two could only nod awkwardly at her question. "Okay, I'm gonna write a really good one!" she exclaimed.

* * *

"Hey, Yuuta. Ya think there's anyone out there to receive our letters?" Kurumi asked nonchalantly as they made their way to their destination.

"Truthfully, I don't know," the answer didn't really surprise her. "During my time outside, never once did I saw another living human. Wherever I go, it's the same condition. Destroyed property, wrecked homes, desolate wasteland and walking undeads. In fact, it's quite amazing that I didn't go crazy or died in that time," Kurumi felt bad for a moment for reminding him of the situation. "Then again, I haven't seen everything."

Yuuta stopped walking and gaze out of the window in which Kurumi followed. "I believe there's always someone out there besides us who's still alive, thinking about the same thing as I do right now, going about their day trying to survive. I'm counting on that small degree of hope."

"So you're still hoping, huh," Kurumi spoke slowly.

"That's right," he turned to face Kurumi. "I did find you all, so it's fair to say that my view is justified," he smiled as he said it, causing Kurumi to blush a bit.

"Also," Yuuta scratched the back of his head. "It'll be very troublesome if we're the only people left on Earth, what with me being the sole male and all. Making a new generation is hard after all," he laughed awkwardly.

Hearing no reply from Kurumi, he opened his eyes to look at her but was met with a hard blow on top of his head. Needless to say, he passed out on the spot.

Kurumi, face completely red from embarrassment and anger, lifted back her shovel from where Yuuta's head had been a second before. "You pervert! Like we're gonna let you do that with us!" she huffed in annoyance. "Seriously, what did Yuki saw in you that she liked."

'Crap,' realizing the statement she just blurted out, she poked Yuuta's body with the handle of her shovel. "Hey, Yuuta, you didn't hear anything I said, right?"

Showing no response, Kurumi sighed in relief. 'Nice save there. Wonder what he'll do if he heard that,' she pondered. Seeing Yuuta's fainting figure, she decided to wake him up and resume their task.

"Ooi, Yuuta. How long are ya gonna lay on the floor," she shouted and poked his body with her shovel. "Wake up! I didn't hit ya too hard, did I?" still no response, she thought about hitting him again when Yuuta suddenly woke up with a shout.

"Waahh!" this surprised Kurumi and she almost hit him again but thankfully managed to restrain the urge. Looking wildly around him, Yuuta's mind slowly began working again as he recalled back previous events.

"Ergh… what happened?" he asked, still in a daze for the second time that morning. Kurumi, realizing the chance, made up an on-the-spot and cliched excuse.

"Well… ya slipped on the floor and hit your head on the floor," a really old one but it somehow worked on Yuuta.

"Really? I remember talking to you and then something hit my head. Strangely, It's like I've felt it before recently."

"It must be all in your head, hahaha," Kurumi laughed a bit but then offered a hand for Yuuta to get up. "Come on, we gotta get back in our job before Ri-san called out on us."

Accepting the hand and pulling himself up, Yuuta nodded in agreement and they resumed their walk. Inwardly, Kurumi thought solemnly.

'Maybe I should be less impulsive on other peoples.'

* * *

"Hmm…" Yuki stared at her letter and erased her writing.

"What's wrong?" Yuuri asked.

"Writing an actual letter is kind of embarrassing," Yuki replied. "My handwriting is so messy."

"Your handwriting is always messy, senpai," Miki chuckled.

"You shouldn't say it like that, Mii-kun," pouted Yuki.

Yuuri smiled and went over to sit beside Yuki. "It's okay. Let me see for a second," she took a piece of paper and some colouring pencil.

"What're you doing?" curiously, Yuki asked. As the colouring is finished, Yuki realized what they are. "Oh, paper dolls? How cute!"

Done cutting the paper figure who looks exactly like Yuki, she pasted it on a pencil. "Yuki-chan, if you picked up a balloon on the side of the road, and it had a letter attached, what would you think?" she then gave the pencil to Yuki while she held another pencil with the figure of a balloon and a letter attached to it.

"I'd be surprised!" the figure moved up and down. "And excited!" It then went closer to the balloon figure.

"Would you think the sender's writing was messy?" Yuuri questioned.

"No, I'd be happy just to get the letter!" Yuki answered.

"You see?" Yuuri said.

"You're right!" Yuki realized the example provided and smiled happily.

"We're back!" the sound of Kurumi's voice alerted them of the other two members' return. Yuuta was pushing a trolley cart laden with various things with Kurumi in tow.

"Yo," Yuuta greeted the room occupants. "We found the helium tank." Indeed, there is a tank with the word 'helium tank' written on the cart. "We brought traps, too," Kurumi added.

"Haven't given up on the carrier pigeon idea, huh?" Yuuri sweatdropped. "Of course!" replied Kurumi with a highy enthusiastic tone.

"Why did you let her bring those things back, Yuuta-senpai?" Miki stood up to greet them and help remove the equipment.

"Actually, I don't know it myself," Yuuta scratched his head confusingly. "When we got back from the room, they're already on the cart. When I asked her about it, she said that I agreed with her on taking them back… but I certainly didn't recall saying so."

"That's weird… don't you think so, Kurumi-senpai?" glanced Miki suspiciously at her upperclassman. Said person was laughing nervously and trying to hide her shovel behind her.

"Hmm~ Kurumi-chan… what did you do with Yuu-kun?" Yuki gets closer to Kurumi's face and pulls off a really disturbing smile on her face. Terrified at her sudden reaction, Kurumi backed off until she reached the wall.

"It's probably nothing big, Yuki," Yuuta, being surprisingly oblivious to Yuki's scariness(likely due to having so many head traumas in a single day), responded. "I'm also curious on whether she'll catch one or not."

Yuuta's reply caused Yuki to withdrew from scaring off Kurumi and she returned to her seat, contented with his answer. Yuuri, choosing to get rid of the tense situation, called Kurumi off.

"Kurumi, why don't you go now to see if you can catch a carrier pigeon?" she voiced, though what she really meant was "Stay away until she calmed down".

Kurumi took a few seconds before she recognized the command. "R-Right. I'll go now," quietly picking up the equipment she needs, Yuuta offered to help but a burning presence on her back prompted her to refuse him. After all was ready, she heads out, "Err… wish me luck, guys."

"Now Yuu-kun, would you please help me move the tank to the wall," Yuuta complied with Yuuri's order and assisted her. Miki was getting to her seat back when she noticed a document inside the box containing Megu-nee's things. Lifting it up, she saw a key with a name holder attached to it. Holding the name piece in her hand, on one side it wrote 'staff'. When she flipped it over, she found the word 'Sakura' written. Shortly surprised at the discovery, she was prevented from further pondering by Yuuta's voice.

"Hey, Miki," she turned around to face him. "What did you write about?"

"Uh, well…" inserting the key inside her skirt's pocket, she asked Yuuta the same question. "What did you want to write about, Yuuta-senpai?"

"That's true. What should I write in it?" Yuuta said aloud as he twirled his pencil around.

"Anything you want," came the response from Yuuri. "Write about yourself, your plans for the future, things you like…"

'The things I like, huh?' Yuuta and Yuki both thought inside their head. Outside, their face flared as they consider writing about their feelings for the person of their interest for others to read.

"The future you say?" Miki was thinking of a different matter from them however. "What do you think of it, Yuuri-senpai?"

"You'll have to think very carefully about it, that's what I would say. After all, you have to seize every chance that you get," she replied with a kind smile.

"We'll have to leave this school someday, won't we?" Yuuta gave the rhetorical question after he came out of his thought.

"Indeed," Yuuri answers.

"Graduation… that's it!" Yuki suddenly returned to her cheerful and optimistic self. "Let's write about what we want to do after graduation!"

"Our dreams for the future?" Miki asked.

"Yeah!" Yuki nodded. "And we'll talk about how we're happily working toward making them come true!"

The others decided to follow in Yuki's idea and they wrote about each of their envisions for the future. After writing several of them, they then inflated the required number of balloons for the letter to attach to. Later, Kurumi came in and brought back a pigeon. Unfortunately, she made the mistake of not closing the cage and so the bird flew around the room, causing panic and chaos until it was captured and placed back inside its cage.

* * *

That night, heavy rain fell upon the area. Miki, wearing a yellow shirt as her sleeping attire, looked from the clubroom's window as the undeads slowly shuffled to take cover from the rain. The door then slides open to reveal Yuuri's figure, her blue blouse with a light green jacket over her shoulders, and very short pants coupled with a black pair of leggings.

"Can't sleep?" she asked her.

"There's a lot of activity around the entrance," Miki replied worriedly.

Yuuri joined her on the windows. "I guess they don't like to be out in the rain, even in that state," she replied.

Miki reached inside her pocket and took out the key she discovered that morning. "I found this earlier today," she reported. "'Sakura'… isn't that…"

Yuuri opened her eyes in shock. "Megu-nee," closing her eyes, she requested at Miki. "May I have that, please? It may be useful to us at some point."

"Please," Miki watched as Yuuri took the key from her hand. "Thank you. I know we'll all get out of here someday."

"Yes," Miki agreed. She then turned back to the window. "You think the rain will let up soon?"

"I'm sure of it," Yuuri assured her.

* * *

"All right!" Kurumi shouted at the sunny and bright sky of the next morning. On her hand was the cage containing the pigeon she caught yesterday. The other members are also on the rooftop and holding three of the letter-attaching-balloons on each hand, except Taroumaru.

"It's about time already," Yuuta cited from behind them.

Yuki crouched down and spoke to the pigeon. "Good luck, Hatoko-chan."

"Hey, who're you calling Hatoko-chan?" Kurumi inquired.

"Her! She Hatonishiki Hatoko-chan," Yuki replied.

"No! His name is Arnault! Kurumi emphasized.

"But I wanna name it, too!"

"I caught it!"

"Hatoko-chan is cuter!"

"He's totally an Arnault!"

The two bickered loudly that Miki asked them to stop. "You two, please stop!"

"What if we compromise and call it Arnault Hatonishiki II?" Yuuri interjected and gave a solution.

The two girls thought it over for a second before agreeing. "Oh, fine." Kurumi complied. "Okay! Your name is Arnault Hatinishiki II," Yuki stated.

"Where does the 'II' come from?" Miki wondered.

"Hey, we're gonna start soon!" Yuuta called from the railings, with Taroumaru barking near his leg. The others quickly joined him

"Okay, Arnault Hatinishiki II, take flight!" Kurumi energetically said.

"On the count of three, okay?" Yuki informed. "Ready…"

"One!"

"Two!"

"Three!"

With the last shout, Kurumi released the pigeon and the others released the balloons in their grasp. All of them stared as the letters they're giving away flew into the sky, carrying their messages to other peoples.

"The dew may fall and the flower remain, or the flower may wither before the dew is gone," Miki recited in a low voice.

"What was that?" Yuuta asked from beside her.

"A line my friend was fond of," was all she said.

"I see," Yuuta decided to not inquire further, instead he gave her some reassurance. "I hope it reaches her."

Miki nodded as her response.

* * *

Atop a tall building, a man looked at the sky, inhaling fresh air after deciding to take a breather from his task. He's not usually one to rest, but the day was bright and sunny that even he felt it to be a waste to stay inside.

Viewing his surroundings, he spotted something round and pink heading for his direction. Staring for a few more seconds, he recognized the thing as a balloon with a letter attached to its string.

When it came closer, he reached for it and caught the letter, untying the knot before releasing back the balloon. Opening it, he found that it contained a not-so-well-drawn figure of a pink-haired girl and a familiar black-haired boy holding hands. Written under it was only one line.

'Yuu-kun, I love you.'


	16. Chapter 16: Search, Chase, Talk

Chapter 16 - Search, Chase, Talk

"Yuu-kun, did you see Taroumaru anywhere?"

Pausing temporarily from cleaning my sword, I gave Yuki a brief answer. "No, why?"

"It's just that he seems to have slipped his collar again and I'm trying to find him," Looking underneath the table inside the clubroom, she asked again. "Do you really haven't seen him, Yuu-kun?"

"No, I haven't,"I said. Hearing this, Yuki again went around the table, calling for the club's pet.

"Taroumaru, here boy. Where are you," repeatedly she called. Not hearing any response, Yuki went outside and shouted again. "Taroumaru!"

"Yuki, I think that's enough," standing up, I gave her a suggestion. "Why don't we look for him together? It's not like he'd gone far."

"All right, Yuu-kun," suddenly, she grabbed my hand. "Let's go! Our mission is to capture Taroumaru-kun and bring him to justice!" she spoke with a voice full of cheerfulness, pulling me along with her.

After walking for a few steps, we eventually settled on a steady pace, popping our heads inside different rooms, observing for any signs of the pup. We're still holding hands by the way.

A couple minutes of lazy striding later, Yuki stopped and rubbed her chin as if in deep thought( I doubt that's what she's actually doing) and said in a low but still peppy tone. "It seems that the target has managed to elude us. Looks like we have to search in other places. Yuu-kun, I mean Kiriha-kun," she pointed at me with her finger. "Where do you suppose his hiding place is?!"

I crossed my arms and think. 'We've looked inside every room on this floor, so he's not here. Taroumaru's a smart dog so he'll probably avoid places that no one usually goes at this hour, especially if he want to be alone for a while. That would mean most classroom and the clubroom. Excluding those place, there're not many other places to go, if you don't count beyond the barrier of course. However, I believe he won't go anywhere near there, so that place's out too,' closing eyes tighter, I thought harder on where his possible whereabouts is. 'What other spots as left? Not the clubroom, not the girls' bedroom, definitely not my room, don't think he's in the bathroom, where is he? Where would he be if he's not in any room?' that's when I realised the simple fact.

"Of course!" Hammering my fist in the other hand, I exclaimed.

"You thought of anything Yuu- Kiriha-kun?" she corrected herself mid-sentence, still continuing the detective roleplaying.

"Yes. We've been thinking from the wrong direction," I began giving my deduction. "All around the school, inside classrooms and other rooms we searched but he's not there. Why do you think is?"

"I know! Taroumaru-kun is actually being invisible and hiding from us, waiting to attack us when our guards are down," nodding in agreement with herself, she added conspiratorially. "Such a vile creature he is."

"Err… that's wrong, I doubt he can really turn himself invisible," I shook my head. "No, in actuality, he's not in any of the room because he's currently on the roof!" pointing my finger towards the ceiling, I continued. "I'm certain that's where he us hiding."

Yuki gasped upon hearing my conclusion. "Ohh… so that's where he is. Then we have to hurry!" Grabbing my hand again, she pulled me along with her. "Come on, Kiriha-kun, we have to capture Taroumaru-kun before he escapes!"

"Hai hai," I nodded in resignation, though a happy one. It's good to see her being her usual cheerful self. It warms my heart and also helps in getting rid of the butterflies in my stomach whenever we're alone since… you know…

I still haven't told her.

I don't know why though. It's just three simple words, 'I love you', not some embarrassing long speech or someting. Just. Three. Words.

But I know that when I utter those words, something will change. Regardless of her answer, our relationship will change. The question is, will I like those changes?

Then there's the matter of her answer. Yuki is as unpredictable as a butterfly, and her attention span also flutters like one. That's why I don't know what I should I expect from her. Will she reject me, or will she accept me? And if she does reject me, what should I do next? Just throw away those feelings and find a new purpose in life, or keep pursuing her until I succeed. Likewise, if she does return my feelings, what would happen next? Should we live our life with each other(along with the other members of course), contended with being lovers, or should we proceed one step at a time towards the next stage in our relationship? How would I support our life, that is if we do want to return to a normal and lasting life, not just surviving day-by-day without any initiative to move forward. These questions and some more are what worries me since I do not have an answer for most of them. I know it's kinda unreasonable to think this much when I haven't even taken the first step, but it's precisely because of that I can't stop thinking about these matters. They're questions that would decide how I live my life onwards after all.

"We're here!"

Yuki's shout snapped me out of my deep thought, bringing me back to reality. I observed my surroundings, various rows of crops, the view of the desolate city stretching far without any hint of life, and the bright sun shining at the still-living inhabitants of this country. It seems that during my musings Yuki had dragged me all the way to the rooftop without me noticing. Speaking of her, she's already searching between the garden patch for any glimpse of our lovable puppy.

"Kiriha-kun, what are you standing there for, we've got to find Taroumaru-kun fast," she then resumes her search.

Smiling, I joined her along the lines of vegetables and fruits, looking for signs of Taroumaru's presence in this place. Not long after, I found some footprints that are definitely from our target. Gesturing for Yuki to come over, we followed the trail of prints until the prints ended at a place that I didn't really foresaw.

Located before me, is a pond, but what's strange about it is that the surface was covered with green algae, leaving only small openings to peak through the very not clean and harmful water. That's not what surprised me, though. What mildly shocked me was the sight of Taroumaru actually swimming, though it's more like paddling, in the pond. Little bits of algae were stuck on his fur, and they looked really dirty and a pain to clean off. I turned to Yuki for any suggestions on how to get him out of the waters.

"Taroumaru-kun! I finally found you!" she started shouting all of a sudden. "Surrender yourself!"

Taroumaru stopped paddling and looked at her direction for as second, before turning his head and resumed his swim.

"You dare to defy me?" Taroumaru's not looking at her again, Yuki does an arm fold and stated with a determined voice "If that is how you want to do things, then I'll come to you," folding her sleeves(there's not much of them actually) she took a step towards the pond before I grabbed her arms and stopped her movements.

"Ah, Yuu-kun. Why did you stop me?" Looks like my sudden action temporarily brought her back from our detective roleplay. Tapping her head lightly, I reminded her about the current condition of the place she's about to venture into.

"Yuki, do you see the state of that pond? There's no way I'm letting you go in there," Yuki pouted at my words but then her caught something behind my back and she ran towards it.

"Then what if I wear these?" held in her hands were a pair of rain boots, previously placed beside the wall. Taking her school shoes off, Yuki inserted her legs inside them. "So, what do you think?"

I was about to protest that those boots alone are not enough but took one look at her, smiling brightly and all, my resistance faded away. Still a little reluctant, I let her pass me.

Plunging her legs into the murky waters, she once again tried calling for Taroumaru. "Taroumaru, come here boy."

The dog, noticing Yuki approaching him, quickly swam towards the edge of the pond. Exiting the water,Taroumaru then proceeds to make his way to the door.

Unfortunately for him, I was already in front of the door. Guarding the entrance, I vaguely recalled the last time I did this and what happened then. My answer came a second later when Taroumaru leaped onto my face, knocking me backward and opening the door. 'It's just like that damned ball,' I thought as the sound of the orange pup descending the stairs resounded behind me.

"Taroumaru-kun, I won't let you escape again!"

Yuki's shout reached my ears before she completely stepped over me. For the briefest of moments, something pink filled my vision before it disappears, leaving me still lying down on the floor on top of the roof, alone once again.

Compelling my body to stand up, I considered joining Yuki in her wild dog chase, but I decided to chill on the rooftop for a few minutes before searching for her. Leaning on the rails and overlooking the city of Megurigaoka, my mind wandered back towards something I once thought of before.

"Are there really any other survivors out there?"

The question is an important one, even if the answer only begs for more unanswered questions. How far does this situation has spread? Only Japan? This continent? Or the entire world? If there do exist other survivors, where are they? How many of them are there? What are they doing? Furthermore, is there any cure for those who have been infected? Do the undeads still contain in them their human soul, and they are just imprisoned or corrupted? So many questions and not enough answers, but the most important for me right now is…

'What does my sword have to do in any of this?'

I rewind back towards the day that I met the girls, where Yuki came to rescue me and I in return saved her from the horde of undeads(It's still one achievement I'm proud and glad off), when the sword glowed with a bright light, sending the undeads cowering from its shine. That moment, I felt something strange inside me. It's as if the blade actually resonated with my soul, responding to my desire to save Yuki. Also, the instance when I performed the round-slash directed at them, some of the undeads that didn't get cut by the sword seemingly collapsed when the light passed through them as if they were soulless puppet devoid once more of their souls. These questions repeated themselves inside my head, but no matter how hard I think, I just couldn't get any answers.

"Guess this is what it feels like to be a male anime protagonist."

Sighing loudly at my lack of information, I removed myself from the railings and went towards the roof entrance, deciding to go back to Yuki, providing she's done chasing Taroumaru around.

Descending the stairs, I discovered that I don't really need to put any effort in finding her. The hallway is littered with wet paw prints and boot prints, no doubt from Taroumaru and Yuki, that all I have to do is follow the direction where it all leads to until I find them. With the prints guiding me, I walked along the corridor when I noticed Yuuri cleaning the floor with a mop. Getting closer to her position, I inquired her about the two's whereabouts.

"Yo, Ri-san," I raised one hand in greeting. "Do you see Yuki and Taroumaru anywhere? I'm following these footprints but it seems you're cleaning them," indeed, she's currently erasing any traces of those prints on the floor.

"My my, hello there, Yuuta-kun," she stopped for a moment from her job to reply my greeting. "If you're talking about Yuki-chan and Taroumaru, I believe they're heading that way," she pointed towards her back.

"Thanks for the info, Ri-san," instead of immediately walking towards the direction that she had just pointed, I observed her working on the cleaning, reminded me of my own mother. "You're pretty diligent, Ri-san, doing these jobs so thoroughly and acting like an elder sister towards the others, you're a really nice girl," I complimented her.

"Why, thank you, Yuuta-kun. Many people tend to say that about me. Though… it gets tiring sometimes to live up to their expectations," her face took on a solemn look.

"They said that because it's true. I'm sure you would make a good housewife, in fact, I'm already feeling jealous on the guy that would end up with you," voicing my honest thoughts, I looked down to see her face red all over.

"D-Do you really think so, Yuuta-kun?" fidgeting in place, it's like she reverted back to being a little kid that's happy when her parents praised her. Quite a deviation from the usual strong and sisterly front that she usually shows. The face she's making is also cute, reminding me of a certain someone and bringing my mind back to the task at hand.

"I'm gonna go and check on Yuki and Taroumaru, to make sure they're not in some trouble. See you at lunch later, Ri-san," I waved at her as I moved to the previously informed direction. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see Ri-san seemingly standing as if in a daze before she returned back to work. 'I wonder if my compliment was too honest.'

As I walked forward, my ears picked up some sound coming from a room up front. Proceeding slowly towards the source, I recognised the sound as the splashing noises of water, along with some voices that seem to be Taroumaru's, Yuki's and Kurumi's. They all come from the bathroom which was, for obvious reasons, restricted to me whenever any of the girls are inside. Hearing the sound of water splashing and Taroumaru's almost desperate barks, I concluded that the girls must be giving him a thorough bath to clean up his fur. If I was a pervert, I would've feel envious of the pup, getting special attention from two young girls cleaning his body but thankfully, I'm not one. At least not a massive one like some of the people I know that I've also promised not to tell anyone else.

"Hey Yuki, you need any help…" casually entering the bathroom, I was immediately greeted with a sight that left my mouth gaping in mid-sentence.

Standing in front of me are Yuki and Kurumi… in their underwear, with Yuki holding onto Taroumaru in her arms. The first thing that came into my mind was "How did I stumble upon a fanservice scene?!" My next thought however took over, and I began to observe the girls' figure.

Yuki's body is, like I always suspected, short and a little underdeveloped, especially in the chest area. Her dishevelled pink hair without the usual hat was not an uncommon sight, but it still captivates me with its girlish and childish colour, glowing in the light. Her underwear, as I also suspected, consists of a pink bra with equally pink shorts. Truly what she would wear.

My eyes moved onto Kurumi, and I must say, I'm starting to see why Sakaki accepts her as his girlfriend. Her hair, no longer tied in twintails, cascaded from her back like a purple waterfall, reaching until her knees. Her figure is what you would expect from a typical high school girl, though I must admit, her *ehem* *ehem* breast is surprisingly bigger than what I previously thought. Her school uniform really hides them well. As for her attire, it's a light blue-coloured lacy bra and panties, and I've got to admit that she looks really pretty at the moment.

Through all this, there was a nagging feeling at the back of my mind that warned me about the riskiness of the situation. When I looked back at the girls' face, I began to remember the fate that befall every guy(in animes) who walked in on these kinds of moment. I began to literally sweat bullets.

Yuki's face was red, like mad red, likely a result of overwhelming embarrassment and shock. If I wasn't so busy panicking I would've found her face comical and cute. Kurumi's face on the other hand, only terrify me further. Her face was also fully red, but unlike Yuki, it seems to be a mixture of embarrassment and anger. Furthermore, her eyes were currently glowing a demonic red colour with her hairs rising eerily behind her. Remembering that she's also has a bit of a tsundere's mannerisms, any chance of me talking out of this situation safely without any injuries get tossed out of the window, since it's highly unlikely that she would listen to my reasons(not like I have many anyway), but I decided to take the chance anyway, nothing ventured nothing gained and all that.

"Hey-"

"YAAAAHHHHH!"

Unfortunately, I only managed to get a word out before the two started throwing various things at me. Between soaps, bottles of shampoo, brushes, towels and a basket, I managed to dodge them all before Taroumaru was thrown at my face. And that is how I got a dog launched at my face for the second time in a day. The good thing was I caught him just in time before he hit me and immediately placed him on the floor, before a piece of fabric landed on my face the second I got back up. It turned out to be Yuki's hat if the black colour was any indication.

*Swoosh*

"Woah!" sensing something coming at me, I ducked at the last moment. Removing the obstruction(Yuki's hat) from my view, I'm thankful towards my senses for saving me yet again. Indeed, a shovel swung past where my head was just a second ago. Quickly jumping backwards, I observed that Kurumi had gotten her hands on her shovel back, and was eyeing me with the same demonic eyes as before.

"Woah, Kurumi, calm down. Were you trying to kill me?!" I desperately shouted in the hopes of pulling her back to her correct mind. I mean, I would get mad if someone just waltzes in when I'm only in my underwear, but never to the extent of killing them. Then I reminded myself that she's a tsundere, famous for 'Violent Retribution for Accidental Infringement'(I think I got that right), meaning I have more chance of survival if I hightailed it out of here.

And so, following that mentality, I took of from the place with the fastest speed I could manage. Looking back, I saw Kurumi chasing me with her shovel up in the air(and still in her undies to boot!), running at a speed that would almost put Sakaki to shame. 'As expected if a track club member,' I cited despite the dangerous situation I'm in.

Still trying to keep a safe distance from Kurumi, I'm starting to understand Shuuya's feeling when he was chased by that overly yandere admirer of his. I made a mental note to apologise for bumping into him if he turns out to still alive and I'm not dead when this ordeal is over.

Rounding a corner, I unexpectedly bumped into someone and the both of us fell on the floor. Rubbing my head, I opened my eyes and saw Miki, also rubbing her head and her sword lying beside her. I quickly got on my feet and offered a hand for her to stand up.

"Thank you, Yuuta-senpai," she said, but before I could reply, I felt something hit me on the back of my skull and I promptly fell back to the ground.

"Yuuta-senpai!" Miki's scream was the last thing I heard before darkness overtook me.

* * *

"Yuuta-senpai!" Miki screamed as she watched her upperclassman collapsed on the floor. Looking behind Yuuta, she saw the sight of Kurumi holding her shovel where Yuuta's head was a moment before, and for some reason she's in her underwear, breathing raggedly with eyes that speak of murder.

Miki sighed inwardly. 'And here I thought it would be a normal day.' Indeed, since the morning she'd woken up normally, doesn't need to pull Yuki out of her bed since she woke up a minute after herself, had eaten breakfast without any weird or awkward conversation between any of the members, then went to train for her swordsmanship, and now on the way to the clubroom for lunch. Now, however, it seems the accident-free period has ended, what's with Yuuta suddenly colliding with her and Kurumi apparently murdering him(though he's obviously not dead, she could still be accused of attempted murder), she sighed again. Afterwards, she stared at Kurumi with a death glare.

"Kurumi-senpai…," the icy tone of Miki's voice snapped Kurumi out of her rampage and she immediately looked around her surroundings, bewildered at what just happened. Noticing Yuuta's body currently slumped on the floor and Miki looking at her with eyes full of rage, she backed down and tried to explain herself.

"Err… this is not what it seems to be, Miki," she spoke while flailing her hands around. "Me and Yuki were giving Taroumaru a bath and then Yuuta suddenly walked into the bathroom. Then… Then…"

"You chased him around in your underwear?" hearing Miki talk, she looked down and realized her state of undress. Blushing profusely, she tried unsuccessfully to cover herself with her shovel. "W-Well, you'd be mad too if a guy saw you half-naked right!" Kurumi shouted at Miki.

Putting a hand on her forehead, she replied with a tired voice. "Even if some boy saw me while I'm in that state, I wouldn't be so mad as to actually chase him and kill the guy," sighing for the third time, she questioned her. "Why are you only in your underwear, though?"

"I-I was about to get into the showers when Yuki asked me to help her clean Taroumaru," she explained. "And Yuki's also stripped her clothes so I'm not the only one he saw."

Ignoring the part about Yuki's state of dress, she implored further. "So, where is Yuki-senpai, anyway?" Kurumi opened her mouth to answer but then a familiar voice reaches their ears.

"Yuu-kun! Kurumi-chan!"

The voice resounded through the halls until the owner of the voice appeared before the girls and the still unconscious Yuuta. Miki peeked from behind Kurumi and saw that her other irresponsible upperclassman is indeed not wearing anything but her pink bra and shorts. Following closely by her feet was Taroumaru, his fur clean and shiny, but still wet.

Bringing her hand to her face for a facepalm, she decided that enough is enough and Yuuri should deal with the trouble, not her. Shooting one hand to grab one of Kurumi's ear, she started to drag her towards the clubroom.

"Hey, what gives?" Kurumi protested as she struggled to get away from Miki. "I'm your senpai, you shouldn't do this to me!"

"I don't care for any of that," Miki spoke with indifference. "I'll let Yuuri-senpai deal with you," turning head to Yuki. "Yuki-senpai, could I ask you to carry Yuuta-senpai to the clubroom."

Yuki stared at Yuuta's body and was about to say something about Yuuta being too heavy for her to carry, but the look on Miki's eyes showed that she wouldn't take any excuses. Trembling in fear on what Miki would do to her if she refuses, she began carrying Yuuta's body, albeit difficultly, and followed behind Miki. Remembering her lack of sufficient clothing, her face turned red as she wondered what would happen if Yuuta were to suddenly open his eyes. Just thinking about the situation caused her to blush even deeper that she didn't even realise Yuuta's weight.

Meanwhile, up front, Kurumi was still struggling against Miki's grasp. Telling her to stop or whatever crossed her mind.

"Miki, stop! Let me go! I still hadn't had my shower. Just let me do that and then I'll go with you, okay?" she tried to reason with her. Unfortunately for her, Miki's mind was already shut from any interference.

"No," her reply was given flatly like a robot. Hearing that, Kurumi screamed in despair.

"MY SHOWEEERRR!"

* * *

"Gah, I'm beat," exclaimed Kurumi as she slumped her head on the desk. Granted, she'd been forced to endure the lecture from Yuuri about safety and non-violence towards others for an hour before she's allowed to take a bath. 'Damn that Miki.'

"Really, Kurumi-chan?" Yuki said from beside her. She on the other hand, only received a slight scolding about indecent exposure in public premise. Right now, she's holding Taroumaru on her lap after Yuuri finished drying his fur. Still in her underwear as they waited for their uniforms to dry, idly she sat half-naked while Kurumi had opted to put on her gym uniform in the meantime.

"Sit still, Yuki-senpai," spoke Miki that's standing behind her. Rubbing her hair with a dry towel, she's still trying to fully dry Yuki's dishevelled and wet hair. While Kurumi was being reprimanded earlier, she calmly and without a care just read her book on the table. Even so, Kurumi saw from the corner of her eye a little arrogant smirk on her face before she covered it with her book.

'That damn kid, I swear I'll repay her someday,' Kurumi thought begrudgingly inside.

"Everyone, the lunch is ready," Yuuri's voice pulled Kurumi back to reality. Putting four plates on the table and some dog food inside Taroumaru's bowl, the girls sat on their own chair to eat. Before they start however, Kurumi pointed something that's amiss in the meals.

"Hey, Ri-san, why're my rice portion smaller than everybody else?" asked Kurumi. The statement was true, as Kurumi's serving of rice was noticeably less than the others.

"My my, is that true?" Yuuri replied with a smile, though the teasing tone in her voice did not escape Kurumi. Feeling rather irritated, she asked again.

"Come on, Ri-san, what did I do to deserve this?" Kurumi slammed her hands on the desk lightly to punctuate her point. Regrettably for her, the choice of words that she chooses resulted in something to snap inside Yuuri.

"What did you do to deserve this, you say?" Yuuri answered with an icy tone that caused everyone in the room to shiver even though the day was supposedly hot. Staring at Yuuri's suddenly more imposing figure, Kurumi described the situation perfectly in her head.

'Oh crap.'

"Running around the school, chasing someone with a shovel, hitting that someone with the shovel and quite possibly killing him, in only your underwears also!" Shouting loudly at Kurumi who just sank smaller in her seat, Yuuri continued. "And for what? Just because he walked in when you're only wearing those said clothes, that's so over-the-top that even I wouldn't consider it," sitting back tiredly on her chair, Yuuri sighed deeply. "I've said this earlier but looks like I've got to say it again," she looked at Kurumi with stern eyes. "Please refrain from acting so impulsively all the time, Kurumi. Someone, and when I mean someone I meant Yuuta-kun," she gestured at Yuuta who's currently lying on the couch. "Could get seriously injured you know. Can you promise me that, Kurumi?"

Kurumi grumbled something unintelligible from her seat but eventually uttered "Yes" with a low voice. Yuuri, not satisfied with the answer, implored again.

"What did you say, Kurumi?" speaking a little louder, she answered "Yes, I promise" but Yuuri decided to push further. "Could you repeat that again, more clearly this time?"

Standing up, Kurumi said loudly. "All right all right, I promise I won't react so impulsively again towards small matters like this," finished she sat down.

"Good, I'm glad you understand," saying 'Itadakimasu' and beginning on her meal, she added. "But you're still not getting any more rice as punishment."

Slumping her head on the table, Kurumi sighed. "Such misfortune," she spoke before joining the other three on the meal.

* * *

"WAAHH!"

Shouting loudly, Yuuta suddenly woke up from his slumber. Lifting his upper body, he rubbed his eyes and began observing his surroundings. The sky outside the window was the colour of orange so he assumed that it must be dusk by now. He's lying on a couch and there's only one place in the school he knew had it and that's inside the clubroom. Hypothesizing that he's currently inside the clubroom, he looked around and saw the four girls sitting on the table… all staring at him.

Perplexed on why they're all eyeing him like a strange creature, he checked his body and shortly noticed something missing.

He's not wearing his shirt.

'That would explain why Yuki's and Miki's face is slightly red,' he thought. Looking down again, he saw that his blue heart-shaped necklace is still dangling from his neck. Standing up, he spoke to Yuuri.

"Ri-san, why am I currently missing my shirt, and where is it?" he asked with a hint of urgency in his voice.

"My my, what made you think I know, Yuuta-kun?" she giggled. Yuuta gave her the 'I-know-you-did-it' look, and she complied. "It's beside the couch," she pointed at the piece of cloth next to Yuuta's feet. "I thought I should wash it since you're out cold, the smell was getting quite bad you know."

Yuuta picked his shirt and immediately wore it on his body, covering his chest once more. "Next time, don't take it without telling me first," finishing in buttoning his shirt, he proceeded to the table. Halfway through, he stopped dead on his steps as he saw a scene for the second time that day.

Yuki was still in her underwear.

Since she was sitting behind Miki, he didn't notice it at first but now that Miki's no longer obstructing his view, he could get a clear image of her. Yuki's skin, seemingly glowing in the light of dusk; her pink bra, reflecting her childish tendencies; and her face, a hint of red on her cheeks, her eyes, full of colour and innocence and her lips, slightly apart and a hearty shape. If he's not in love with her he would fall in love with her right now.

However, from his right side Yuuta could felt a black and murderous aura emanating. Sitting across from Yuki, Kurumi glared at him with the same demonic eyes that he saw earlier, though, she's not in her undergarments only right now. Still, Yuuta backtracked his steps until he reached the door and sliding it open, said, "I-I'll give you girls some privacy first, alright?" before exiting the room swiftly.

The other members could only stare at Yuuta retreating figure as he closed the door. After a few seconds, Miki decided to spoke up.

"See, you're too careless, senpai," she thrusts Yuki's dry uniform at her. "Stop sitting around half-naked and put your clothes back on, before Yuuta-senpai came back."

"Y-Yes, thanks," Yuki accepted her clothes back and pushed her head through the neck opening. "It's not my fault though, if Yuu-kun saw that."

"It actually is your fault," sighing for who knows how many times in that day, Miki continued. "You can't keep acting like this, senpai. You all graduate next year, remember?"

"It's fine~" Yuki replied lazily. "Tomorrow is another day~"

"Senpai…" Miki stared in disbelief. Standing up and crossing her arms, she stood in front of the table and started lecturing Yuki.

"Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today! This school is equipped with so many resources. You have to take advantage of them while you can. For your own future. There's so much you can do before graduation, and so much preparation to do. Let's keep it together."

"That's true," a voice behind Miki alerted them and they turned to find Yuuta standing in front of the entrance. "There a lot we've got to do to prepare for them. Studying, for example."

"Hmm…" Yuki crossed her arms to think. "I guess I'll talk to Megu-nee about it."

"Are you going to attend a college, senpai?" Miki asked.

"Lately, I've been thinking I'd be better off getting a job. That way I won't have to take exams, right?" Yuki answered.

"There are job placement exams," Kurumi informed. "Huh?" surprised, Yuki voiced. "I hear job hunting is pretty tough," Yuuta added.

"Huh? Maybe I'll just stay in high school forever…" stated Yuki. "So you're just a quitter," said Miki. "Okay! I'll be your classmate, Mii-kun!" Yuki exclaimed. "No thanks," replied Miki.

"College or the work force, huh…" Kurumi pondered. "Ri-san, what are you going to do?" she asked the question to Yuuri.

Yuuri, who's mind has been thinking on something inside Miki's lecture, were surprised upon being asked. "Huh? Why would you ask such a…" spoke her in a low voice before she regained her composure. "What's your plan, Yuuta-kun?" instead of answering the question, she directed it at Yuuta.

"Me? Hmm… find a job, I think," Yuuta replied as he rubbed his chin in thought. "I'll get the chance to have money and freedom quicker that way. But if my parents want me to marry someone first, then I won't complain. They're that kind of family after all."

The others gasped on this piece of information. "You mean you wouldn't mind marrying first before getting a job, Yuuta-senpai?" Miki inquired rather disbelievingly.

"Ah, yes. My family's actually an old one, so we're kind of more traditional, also my father's job pays really well that we never need to worry about money. This, coupled with the area of land left from my grandparents, quite possibly will make me rich since I'm the main heir to the family."

"That's… hard to believe," said Kurumi. "That you're actually okay with following your parent's order in marrying someone is one thing, but finding out that you're a rich kid is just so hard to believe."

"He he, because I'm so laid back, right? I won't blame you, most people don't even know about this thing. In fact, only two of my friends know this," remembering his friends, a sad look appeared on Yuuta's face for a while before it vanished. "But the one condition that my family made that has been followed for hundreds of years is that I need to marry someone first before I could gain the right as the main heir. This sword that you see," he lifted his sword up. "Is actually only bestowed upon the oldest male in the family when he reached a marriageable age, symbolising among others, his conviction to protect the family."

"That's… quite an interesting history, Yuuta-kun," Yuuri commented after Yuuta's finished with his elaborate explanation. "It's a nice story I admit." Turning to Miki, she asked her next. "What do you want to do, Miki-san?"

"My future?" Miki thought for a moment before answering. "The concept still seems vague, so I can't say for sure…"

"Yes… someday, we'll all…" Yuuri's voice trailed out.

"It's fine, Miki," Yuuta placed his hand on her shoulder. "You've still got some time left, unlike Yuki here," grinning, he pointed at the person.

"That's so mean, Yuu-kun. But if I can't find a job or go to college, then I can just be your wife!"

Yuki's exclamation caused the other members to do a spit take on her statement. Kurumi face looked like a strawberry, Miki and Yuuri's cheeks are both red, while Yuuta seems as if he's going to collapse again. As for Taroumaru, well, he just sat on the floor being his usual doggy self.

"Eh, eh?" Yuki looked around, confused on why the noise suddenly turned quiet. "What's wrong everyone?"

"Y-Yuki-chan," Yuuri spoke. "Do you understand what you just said?"

"Hmm? I said I can be Yuu-kun's wife, what's wrong with that?" still being an airhead, she asked Yuuta. "Ne, is what I said not good, Yuu-kun?"

Yuuta looked away from her, flustered and still embarrassed. "It's not anything wrong Yuki, but… could you not say something like that suddenly, I don't think my head can handle any more attacks," he replied.

"Oh… so it's those kinds of thing, huh," Yuki nodded her head as if understanding the meaning, but in actuality, she doesn't understand at all.

*Growl*

Out of nowhere, the sound of someone's stomach was heard. The source of said sound was Yuuta, and he embarrassedly scratched his head.

"Eheh, err… Ri-san, I don't suppose you have something left for me from lunch?"

Instantly, the awkward atmosphere from before was dismissed and the girls laughed together at Yuuta's expense. Managing to contain her giggle, Yuuri went to the kitchen section of the room and carried a wrapped bowl of rice and a can of food. "Here, Yuuta-kun. I knew that you would be hungry when you wake up so I set aside some of today's lunch for you," she said as she placed them on Yuuta's hands.

"Thanks, Ri-san. You're a lifesaver," Yuuta then turned around and slide open the door. "I'll just eat this in my room," Yuuri moved in to protest but Yuuta prevented her. "Don't worry, I won't make a mess in my room, and I'll return the bowl back. Now then, see you later, everyone."

Waving his hand, the others in the room returned the gesture. After the sound of his footsteps were no longer heard, Kurumi spoke first.

"Hey, Ri-san. I'll go out and check around, okay?" before Yuuri could answer, she was already exiting the room.

"Yuuri-senpai, I want to train a bit more so I'm leaving for a while. You can find me in my usual training room," Miki was next, and she went through the door before Yuuri could even say a word.

"I want to go out and play too! Come on Taroumaru!" Yuki was next, but Yuuri was not going to let her escape and leave her alone. Furthermore, there's something she wanted to talk with her.

"No, Yuki-chan," clamping her hand firmly on Yuki's shoulder, Yuki stopped moving. "You're not going anywhere."

"Aww… but the others are out and I wanna play too, right Taroumaru?" the dog barked joyfully in response but trembled when Yuuri gave him the glance of death.

Closing her eyes once again, Yuuri pulled Yuki and forced her to sit on a chair while she sat across her. Yuki protested for a few seconds before she calmed down. "So, what do you want, Ri-san? I didn't do anything wrong, right?"

"Don't worry, you're not in trouble, Yuki-chan," Yuki breathed out in relief upon hearing that. "We're just gonna talk about something called 'Sex Education.'

As Yuuri gave her a smile that is far too sweet to be normal, Yuki can't help but shiver over what she would hear.

* * *

So, this was supposed to only be one chapter but I had a sudden burst of ideas and impulse and thus this is the result. This chapter(and the next) for _some_ that don't know, is based on episode 8 of the anime. Don't worry, though, I will try to upload the next part as soon as possible(a week at most) so stay tuned, for the climax is nearing and it's going… to… be… great! See you later~


	17. Chapter 17: Fear and Suspicion

Chapter 17 - Fear and Suspicion

"Hmm? Yo, Kurumi."

Pausing from eating, Yuuta swallowed the food in his mouth before greeting Kurumi who appeared at the entrance to his room.

"Can I come in?" Kurumi asked after taking a deep breath.

"Of course! Come in, come in," Yuuta replied immediately without a hint of suspicion for the purple-haired girl. Kurumi entered slowly and settled a little distance from Yuuta's left side. Hugging her knees tightly, she sat down there quietly.

Yuuta resumed consuming his meal while waiting for Kurumi to state her reason for coming. Several minutes pass and she still hadn't said anything. Finishing the last of his rice, Yuuta placed the bowl aside and began conversing with Kurumi in the hopes of breaking the stillness between them.

"So… Kurumi," trying to think of a good topic, he went with one that entered his mind. "I take it this is not the first time you're in a guy's room?"

Not lifting her head, Kurumi answered with a low voice. "No."

"Really, so who's room have you been in before? "Your brother? Your cousin? Or some male friends that you have?" Yuuta decided to press the subject for information.

"Subaru-kun," replied Kurumi in a sad tone.

"O-O-Ohh, of course. You're his girlfriend after all," awkwardly Yuuta stated as he realised how sensitive the matter was. Hoping to avoid another unsettling mood, he steered the conversation to another unrelated but related direction. "So, I assume you've already met Sakaki's little sister, Maki?"

Finally bringing her head up, Kurumi said with an annoyed voice. "Yes, I've met her, that annoying brat."

Glad that he had acquired a response from her, Yuuta asked further. "You don't get along with her, I guess?"

"Get along with her? Were it not for the fact that she's Subaru-kun's little sister I would've strangled her at the first chance I had. When I first visited their house she acted so polite and nicely that I thought she's a really good girl. Then, when her brother went out of the room for a while she revealed her true colours," standing up, she ranted. "She said I don't deserve to be with Subaru-kun, stating that such an unladylike girl like myself is unfit for the perfect human that is her brother. She then went further and said that only she had the right to be Subaru-kun's partner, can you believe that?"

Yuuta sweatdropped upon the question. "Well, from what my sister said, Maki do regard her brother too highly to the point of complete admiration, regarding everyone else excluding herself undeserving of his attention. I think she's also quite a bit of a brocon."

"Right? That's what I thought too after that first visit. Since then, whenever I came over to Subaru-kun's house she would always cause trouble for me. Tripping my steps, 'accidentally' spilling the drinks on my clothes, locking me in the bathroom, hiding my shoes and other mischiefs," shouting at the top of her lungs now, Kurumi continued. "And you know what the most annoying part is? It's that whenever Subaru-kun questioned her she would act so innocently and denied that she actually did them on purpose. Grr… she's one person that I wish I won't meet again," sighing deeply, she sat down. "But I guess the one good thing was that Subaru-kun never pushed me away even I was in trouble because of her sister. Though he seemed stupidly oblivious to his sister's animosity towards me."

"Yeah, sorry about that," spoke Yuuta as he scratched the back of his head. "Once, I give him an advice that says 'Always believe in the good inside a person, even if they act badly they are in fact all good at heart' or something similar. Since then, he would always help other peoples, be it an elderly woman, a drunk businessman, a delinquent, a lost kid or even someone who doesn't need any help. Heck, he even wrestled with a bank robber once after the guy threatened other peoples. Sadly, this attitude doesn't always apply when it involves me or when his trolling switch is on," smiling as he nears the end about his reminiscence to the past, he concluded. Nevertheless, this quality along with his natural genius and the hard work he puts in physical activities is what made him one of the most popular and likeable student in middle and high school."

"Subaru-kun was a really nice guy, right," Kurumi stated with a sad voice once more.

"He was, to still accept me as his best friend despite his popularity, I'm constantly grateful for his company, even if he's a troll sometimes," both of them chuckled at Yuuta's statement.

After a minute, their giggle ended and the quietness returned. Taking another deep breath, Kurumi turned to face Yuuta with a serious face. "Yuuta, you know I didn't come here to talk with you about that, right."

"I know, I just thought it'd be a good topic to break the ice," smiling mischievously this time, Yuuta spoke to her. "You want to confess to me properly this time, am I right? After all, the last time you got interrupted by me and couldn't say it, so now you're trying again."

"Yuuta…" Kurumi looked at him with a still unchanging face.

"Okay okay, I was only joking," the smile on his face dissolved and he took a less playful look. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"I wanted to say sorry," her body trembling, Kurumi voiced herself. "I'm always getting mad at you for no reason at all, acting hostile when you're close to Yuki, banging your head with my shovel, and most importantly, for taking away S-S-Subaru-kun's life," shaking as she tried to control the tears that started to come out, she continued. "I'm s-sorry. I don't want to lose you or anyone else anymore. I-I'm scared, Yuuta. What if there is no one coming to help us, what if our supplies run out, what'll we do by then? And what if I turned into… them, I don't want that to happen," Kurumi sobbed as her thoughts flow out, only to be surprised when she felt another body against her own.

"It's okay, I forgive you" comforted Yuuta as he hugged and patted her. "Everything's going to be fine. Even when our life looks like hell, the world is still beautiful. You just have to believe hard enough and it will show itself. And if the time comes that I become like them, please put me down for your safety."

"But-" Kurumi couldn't believe what she heard and tried to look up but Yuuta tightened his hug.

"Don't worry, I'm just saying a possibility. It doesn't mean that it would happen anytime soon. Just… be prepared okay? The world may be pretty, but it's also unpredictable and dangerous," softening his hold for a bit, Yuuta spoke with a determined tone. "But if you or anyone else turned into them, then I'll try my hardest to find a way to change you all back. If that fails, then I will stop you. Is that okay?"

"Yes, that's okay," replied Kurumi. I'll also try to return you to your previous state if you do get infected. I promise."

"Thank you, Kurumi."

"Yeah."

A minute later, Kurumi pushed herself away from Yuuta's embrace. "Thanks, Yuuta. I'm alright now," she said as she wiped the tears inner eyes. "This is pretty embarrassing for me you know, crying in front of a guy for the second time."

Yuuta grinned and replied with his honest thoughts. "It is, but you look cuter like that and made me forgiving you easier."

"C-Cute?" Kurumi blushed upon the comment. Even now, she's still not used to being complimented by a guy. "Ya know Yuuta, I've been wondering, are you purposefully giving embarrassing comments to see us go all dere dere for you?"

"What!?" Yuuta stepped back in utter surprise. He can't believe that someone would say something like that to him. "Of course not! Aside from the few times when I go into trolling mode, everything that I said are my truly honest opinions, not lies," he denied the accusation strongly.

"I see," nodding her head, Kurumi then asked another question. "Then tell me what you feel about Yuki," a devilish and tricky question.

Shocked, Yuuta tried to talk his way out. "That's… pretty obvious right? She's my friend now and I like her just as much as I like you all," not looking ahead when he answers, Kurumi didn't believe him one bit.

"Don't lie to me, Yuuta," Kurumi spoke in an annoyed tone. "Everyone can see that you love Yuki and cares for her more than you did for the rest of us," she paused before adding, "…except Yuki of course."

"Okay, I'll admit that I care for her maybe a little bit compared to you all," Kurumi rolled her eyes. "But that doesn't mean I love her," Yuuta still giving excuses to hide his own feelings.

"Whatever you say, Yuuta," Kurumi started to walk to the door. "But remember, you can't conceal them forever. Hold it in for too long and you'll eventually lose your chance," with that said, she exited the room.

After she's out and he couldn't hear her footsteps, Yuuta slumped down on the floor, suddenly feeling tired even though he didn't use much energy. 'That was close,' he thought. 'Anymore and I would've blurted out something that could give me away, not that it matters much to them it seems.'

Lying down, he rolled to the side and brought out his necklace, clutching it in his hand. 'I'll tell her, someday, when the timing is right. What will happen, let it happen. I've decided on that, and I won't back down from my own decision.'

Turning so his back was on the floor, Yuuta closed his eyes and drifted to sleep while waiting for dinner time. As his mind slowly become clouded, his right hand touched the handle of his sword beside him. With his final thought being Yuki's smile, he was overcome by sleepiness and didn't notice something unusual happening on his right side.

His sword was glowing brightly.

* * *

Sitting alone on the table inside the clubroom, Yuuri stared at the key that Miki had given her.

It was nighttime and all, except Yuuta, should be sleeping. For some reason, though, she just couldn't stay asleep since her mind was thinking about something. She then heard the door sliding open, revealing Miki standing at the entrance.

"Yuuri-senpai, you're still up?" Miki inquired.

"I couldn't sleep," Yuuri answered a little tiredly. Rising from her chair, she went to make some drink for Miki. "What about you?" she asked Miki the same question.

"I couldn't sleep either," replied Miki with the same answer. "I can't stop thinking about something…"

"About what?" said Yuuri as she's preparing the drink. "Here," she then placed the mug in front of Miki who had taken a seat next to her on the table.

"Thank you," Miki drinks a little. "Remember when I said earlier that the school's equipped with a lot of resources?" Miki began talking.

"Yes, I do."

"I realised it after I said it. Doesn't it seem too well equipped?" she spoke. "I took another look through the school guidebook. Solar batteries, a giant rain-collection tank with a water purifier, crops in the roof, food supplies…" Miki listed the suspicious things in the school. "It's like the school was designed to accommodate people living in here for extended periods."

"That's…" Yuuri tried to say something bit was interjected by Miki.

"I know! I know you think it sounds ridiculous. But once I started thinking about it, I couldn't stop. And I wasn't sure what to do…" Miki said in a hopeless tone.

"It's not ridiculous, Miki," a voice suddenly spoke, surprising the two who turned to the source of the sound. There, leaning against the door frame was Yuuta, with his sword in his left hand and his arms across his chest. "I've thought about the same thing too before."

"Yuuta-senpai," "Yuuta-kun," the two girls exclaimed, not expecting his appearance. "What are you doing here?" Yuuri was the one to ask.

"I'm patrolling, remember?" he said it as matter-of-factly. Walking to the table, he sat on one of the chairs. "When I passed this hallway I heard some voice from the club room so I went to investigate. Then, I saw you both conversing and decided to listen for a while before letting myself known. Sorry if I scared you two," Yuuta bowed his head a little.

"It's okay, Yuuta-kun. We're just surprised that's all," Yuuri replied.

"So you think that the school is suspicion too, Yuuta-senpai?" Miki wasted no moment in asking Yuuta.

Lifting his head back up, Yuuta answered. "Yeah, I've always had a little suspicion on this place. All the features that you've mentioned before seem too well placed to be a coincidence. Sure, having or two of them are normal on any premise but all of them in one facility is another question," he then turned to Yuuri. "You've been thinking about this, right, Ri-san?"

"Yes, that's true," Yuuri answered which surprised Miki. "Huh, you too, Yuuri-senpai?" inquired her.

Nodding, Yuuri took out from her pocket the key and she showed it to the two. "Isn't that the key I found before?"

"Yes," responding to Miki's question, she continued. "Something tells me that this key is a clue towards finding some answer. I was planning on talking to everyone about this in the morning, but…" standing up again,she asked Yuuta and Miki. "Will you both with me for a bit?"

The other two nodded and followed her out of the room. They walked until they arrived outside the staff room. Yuuri enters first and switched on the lights for the place.

"But you've already checked the staff room, haven't you?" said Miki as she followed her inside.

"Yes. The key says 'staff' on it, so I checked here first," Yuuri replied.

Lifting the key, Miki asked again. "Then, what's the use in coming back here?"

"You must've missed something, otherwise you wouldn't call for our help, am I right?" spoke Yuuta as he also went inside the room.

"My my, that's correct, Yuuta-kun," Yuuri giggled. "The only place that I really checked was Megu-nee's desk. We can search in earnest tomorrow. Tonight, let's just look until we get tired," she proposed.

"That's right. Neither of us could sleep yet anyway, and Yuuta-senpai won't sleep until the morning," Yuuta grumbled a bit at her statement. "Now, let's split up," Miki took command of the search.

Yuuri stared at her for a moment before Yuuta placed his hand in front of her. "Shall we?"

"Okay," she smiled and they joined Miki in the quest.

The three of them searched the place thoroughly, opening every drawer, looking under every desk, inspecting the inside of every cabinet and trying the key on every lock that they found. Additionally, Yuuta had to keep his eyes away from the girls' alluring figure especially when they crouched down. Several times he almost caught sight of Miki's panties but quickly glanced the other way.

For Miki, she stopped in front of a desk and pulled open the drawer. Inside it, she saw a picture of Yuki and Kurumi with and an unknown woman at the middle. Picking it up, she thought inside. 'Is this woman Megu-nee?'

"What're you all doing?"

The sound of another voice alerted the members currently inside the room. Turning around, they found Yuki dressed in her white nightgown and pink hood jacket, her usual hat absent, holding the teddy bear that she dubbed 'Goma-chan'. Rubbing her eyes, she looked as if she just woke up from sleep.

"Yuki-chan?"

"What's wrong, senpai?"

"Don't you suppose to be asleep right now, Yuki?"

Yuuri, Miki and Yuuta said to her in surprise. In a sleepy tone, Yuki replied. "I woke up from a dream… Then I noticed you were both gone, and I got worried."

"Oh my. I'm sorry, Yuki-chan," Yuuri apologised.

"What's the dream about?" Yuuta inquired curiously.

"Ah, you were in there Yuu-kun, and you said… Ehh?" opening her eyes fully, she realised that Yuuta was in the room as well. "Y-You're here, Yuu-kun?!" she spoke shakily as a blush crept over her cheeks.

"Yeah, of course, I'm here. I did greet you before, right?" turning to Yuuri and Miki, they both nodded.

"EEHHHH?" Yuki suddenly shouted as she becomes flustered about almost telling Yuuta about the dream she had. The dream was pretty embarrassing unlike any she ever had. She blamed Yuuri and her 'talk' from that evening.

"So?" Yuuta's voice brought Yuki out of her thoughts. "Mind telling me what did I say in you dream?" he inquired.

"N-No, it's nothing actually, Yuu-kun. You didn't say anything. Hahahaha!" laughing nervously, Yuki face was as red as a tomato now. Just recalling about what he said in her dream was enough to make her faint on the spot. And the worst part? It's the least embarrassing thing that happened in her dream. She may as well die from embarrassment if anyone knows of what transpired in it. "*ehem* That aside, why are you three in here?" hoping to escape the situation, she asked them her original question.

"Ah! Err…" Yuuta struggled with finding an excuse and looked at the other two for ideas.

"Actually, Sakura-sensei asked us to find something for her," Miki held up the key and glanced at Yuuri yo play along.

"Th-That's right. She wants us to figure out what that key Miki-san has unlocks," she smiled to appear believable.

"So it's a treasure hunt!" Yuki's eyes lighted up with excitement. "I'll help too!"

The others agreed and informed her to call if she finds something related to the key. As Yuuri sat on top of a ladder with Miki holding onto it to peer on the top of the cabinets, Yuki looked inside the drawers on another cabinet while shaking her back. Yuuta, faced with this situation, had to use all of his will and strength to keep himself from staring at Yuki's buttocks.

"Ah! Maybe this?" hearing her voice, the three went over to Yuki's position to look at her findings.

"Did you find a clue?" asked Yuuri.

Turing around, Yuki held a teddy bear in her hands. Unlike her own, this one was light brown with slashed upright rectangular eyes and a green round hat that had the Japanese flag in front of it. "What do you think?"

"I guess not."

"What's with the teddy bear?"

"Why is there something like that in the staff room?"

Yuuri, Miki and Yuuta said when presented with the bear. "Isn't he cute?" inquired Yuki. "I'm not sure what to say," Yuuri admitted. "I don't know what to say either," agreed Yuuta. "Please put him back," ordered Miki. "Aww!" Yuki protested.

Placing the bear on top of the table behind her along with her teddy bear, Yuki continued looking inside the drawer. "Maybe it's this?"

Yuuri and Miki, having finished searching on to of the cabinets and were folding back the ladder, went to Yuki's place again with Yuuta following. They found Yuki, not in front of them and asked tiredly.

"What is it this time?" Miki questioned before a brownish figure appeared before them, surprising all three.

"This. This right here," said Yuki. The thing that she's referring to is a brown sleeping bag with a bears head reminiscent of her own teddy bear. Oh, and she's also inside the thing.

The others stared disbelievingly before Yuuri opened her mouth. "Yuki-chan…" she said slowly. "Have you forgotten about the key?" Miki reminded her. "Again, why is there a childish sleeping bag inside the staff room?" Yuuta asked to no one in particular.

"This sleeping bag is amazing! You can walk around with it on!" exclaimed Yuki as she demonstrated with walking from side to side with the thing. The others sighed as she laughed cheerily.

Placing the sleeping bag on top of the table with the two teddy bears inside it, Yuki once again resumed her search before calling for the third time. "Ah! This has to be it!"

Wearing a headset and holding a microphone, she posed cutely at the other three. "This is it, right?"

They stared at her, longer this time, before answering. "No." "No, it isn't." "It's obviously wrong."

Not hearing their answer, Yuki sight caught on to the camera lying on top of the desk. "Mii-kun, take a picture of me with that camera," she requested.

Miki took the camera a little reluctantly. "C'mon, take it, yo, yo," Yuki acted as if she's a DJ. "Check it, check it, one-two, one-two," pointing the camera at her, Miki prepares to take a snap. "All of you watching the TV, can you hear me?" meanwhile, Yuki still continued playing.

"What are you doing? This is a camera, not a recorder," Miki finally stated the simple fact. "Huh? Really?" Yuki exclaimed in shock. "I'm taking it," not minding her upperclassman, Miki her finger on the shutter while Yuki fumbled around trying to ready herself. "Say 'cheese'," the camera flashed as Yuki opened her mouth in surprise with an awkward but funny pose.

"Hey, Mii-kun! Don't take it when I'm not ready!" complained Yuki to her underclassman. "You asked me to," Miki said as she handed over the resulting photo to Yuki. Holding it in her hands, she stared at the white piece of the still undeveloped picture. After a few seconds, she lost her patience and smacked the photo on the table. "It's blank!"

"Yuki, calm down," Yuuta tried talking reason to her. "Look, it's showing now, right," as he says that, the paper slowly shows it's picture.

Picking the photo back with eyes full of astonishment, Yuki waved the photo around. "Wow, that's amazing! I dub this the 'super camera'!"

"It's called an instant camera," informed Miki. Not minding her again, Yuki turned to Yuuri. "Look, Ri-san! This is amazing!" Yuuri, however, was looking at another photo in her hand. "Ri-san?" Yuki said, confused.

"Hey, don't you remember?" Yuuri spoke to her. "That camera… The time we all took pictures together with it…" the photo was the one which Miki saw earlier. "And what happened afterwards?" Yuki didn't get it and asked her. "Ri-san, what are you…"

Nevertheless, Yuuta detected the hint of sorrow in Yuuri's voice and gave an excuse to explain her behaviour to Yuki. "Come on, Yuki. You've done nothing but goof around, and now Ri-san's getting mad."

"Oh! I see!" Yuki excepted the reason before remembering what happened a few hours earlier when Yuuri was displeased at her attitude. "Ah! S-Sorry, Ri-san. I didn't mean to get you mad. P-Please don't give me another talk!" she bowed as she apologised.

The other two cocked their head in confusion while Yuuri just smiled solemnly. "It's already late. Let's hurry up and find whatever this key is supposed to open," said Miki to get the group back on track.

"Roger!" shouted Yuki and Miki followed her to make sure she doesn't forget the task again. As Miki led her away, Yuuta approached Yuuri.

"I'm sure there's something that made you said those things so I'm going to ask you. What's wrong?"

"It was right after this," Yuuri spoke in a low tone without glancing from the photo in her hands. "Right after we took this picture… Megu-nee was…" her voice trailed off and Yuuta decided not to inquire anymore but leave her to cool down.

The search continued a little longer after that. While Yuuri was looking from the broken window of the staff room, she commented on the current situation. "There are more and more of them lately."

Standing up from behind, Miki reported her findings. "I can't find anything that looks like it'd fit."

"No luck on my side either," Yuuta also gave his report.

"No?" removing herself from the windowsill, Yuuri decided to postpone the quest. "We may as well call it a night, then." The other two agreed.

"Hey! Is this…" Yuki's voice alerted them once more. The three of them went again to her position and inquired more tiredly than before. "What now?" "We already looked down there." Miki and Yuuri stated.

Yuki giggled a bit. "You'd think that right?" Pushing the right section of the low cabinet, she then slides the left side over the right, revealing a hidden space with a locked metal box inside it.

Yuuri, Miki and Yuuta gasped in surprise at the sight. "A false panel…" exclaimed Yuuri. "With a safe inside," added Miki. "That's really unexpected," Yuuta continued.

"Surprised?" Yuki asked them. "Yes. Very surprised," Yuuri confessed. "Thank you, Yuki-chan." "You really are amazing, Yuki-senpai," praised Miki. "Good job, Yuki," congratulated Yuuta as he rubbed her head.

"Oh, really, don't mention it," Yuki tried to act embarrassed. "Ah, pet me more, Yuu-kun."

As Yuki was distracted by Yuuta's patting, Miki whispered to her other upperclassman, "Yuuri-senpai, let's try it," as she held the key.

Inserting the key into the lock, Yuuri realised it's a perfect fit. Turning the key and unlocking the box, she raised the handle while the others peered over her shoulder.

Inside the box was a disc and a few papers, so Yuuri picked them up. "Well, what is it?" Yuki asked hurriedly.

"A DVD for class, and a list…" she informed before her eyes opened wide upon seeing the document behind the papers.

Yuki stood up, looking seemingly disappointed at the result. "Is that all Megu-nee wanted us to do?" "Y-Yes…" Yuuri replied shakily. "Okay, I'll go tell her we're done," Yuki then exited the room.

"Be careful, Yuki, and go to sleep immediately after that!" Yuuta shouted at her. A faint 'Yes' could be heard in the distance.

"I guess that was a swing and a miss," Miki spoke. Confused that Yuuri was still quiet, she turned to her. "Yuuri-senpai?"

Yuuri then brought out the document behind the papers, revealing the title as 'Staff Emergency Evacuation Manual' with a red 'SCHOOL ONLY' stamped onto the front page.

Miki, realising the title, said to Yuuri. "Um, is this…"

Yuuri turned to her and spoke with a conspirational voice. "Hurry and wake Kurumi up."

"Already ahead of you," Yuuta exclaimed from the door before he sped towards the girls' bedroom.

* * *

Inside the clubroom, the contents of the document were read by Yuuri. Written in it was serious stuff like 'biological weapon', 'casualties', 'containment', 'infection may explode into a full-scale pandemic', 'complete and total isolation is key', 'those in the vicinity of the infected must also be quarantined', 'preservation of the human race', 'priority over the lives of individuals', 'the lives of thousands, millions, rest on your shoulders', and the final nail in the coffin, 'a kind and sympathetic heart is no longer a virtue'.

Throughout the reading, I just calmly leant on the wall, ear listening and mind racing with answered questions that only gave rise to more unanswered questions. I glanced at the other three to see their reaction.

"Biological weapon…" Miki said the phrase as if in shock. Then, Kurumi slammed her fist on the table.

"Hold on! What is this? What the hell is this?!" she screamed the words out.

A million question and emotions were raging inside my head. However, at that moment only one question appear in my mind.

'Who would do this?'


	18. Chapter 18: Curious and Pool Time

Chapter 18 - Curious and Pool Time

"Did any of you get any sleep?"

Yuuri's question was replied with Kurumi's yawn. "As if I could."

"I suppose not."

"Hey, that key had Megu-nee's name written on it, right?" Kurumi turned to Yuuri. "Yes," was her answer. "So then, from the start, Megu-nee knew…"

"She knew something would happen, and kept it a secret from us," Yuuri finished Kurumi's sentence. "Is that what you're saying?"

Kurumi answered uncertainly. "I-I don't know, I don't, but…"

"I'm not sure, but I doubt it," Miki spoke. Showing the secret document, she said. "This has instructions not to open it unless ordered to. They might've given it to her a long time ago, but even if she had read it…"

"It would've been after all this happened," Yuuta continued.

"Jeez, all this stuff about infections and bioweapons is so confusing, I can't think straight!" Kurumi rubbed her head in frustration.

"There's something interesting written in here, though," Miki spoke again. Opening a page in the manual, she showed them a map showing the school building's floor, though one they haven't seen before.

"An emergency evacuation plan?" Yuuri read the description. "There's a second basement level?"

"Since you didn't know about it, I assume you've never gone there yourselves," Miki hypothesised.

"No," Yuuri replied.

"I've seen it before, you know," Yuuta remarked. The three girls turned to face him. "A year and a half ago, I decided to slip away from club activities by staying in a quiet corner of the school instead of heading home. Descending down the stairs, I arrived at the mentioned basement floor. It was closed, sadly but, just as I pondered another hiding spot, the metal curtains rose and I quickly hide beside the wall. Coming out from the basement was the principal and vice-principal, talking among themselves. While I couldn't hear everything they said, what I can make out was something like 'the rations had been resupplied' and 'the _ was updated'. When they disappeared from my vision, I tried to lift the door back but it has been locked again," sighing, Yuuta finished giving his information.

"My, it's good to know that you found something important when you're not participating in club activities," Yuuri smiled with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Oh, you're welcome."

"Ya know she's just being sarcastic, right?" Kurumi inquired.

"Yes, but that's not what matters here. What I mean to say is-" Yuuta was about to speak his mind when the door suddenly slides open, revealing Yuki holding Taroumaru in one arm and a long brush in her right hand.

"C'mon, everyone, let's clean!" she exclaimed cheerfully. Miki stealthily hides the document under the table while the others immediately acted naturally.

"O-Oh, Yuki-chan, I thought you were taking Taroumaru for a walk," Yuuri distracted her with a question. "Why do you want to clean all of a sudden?" inquired Kurumi.

"Look at him," Yuki lifted Taroumaru up to show everyone. The four were surprised to see the state in which he is. His fur was wet and splattered with splotches of green algae. "I let Taroumaru loose on the roof, and he jumped into the lake," the puppy dropped his head in shame.

"What, again?" Kurumi said in disbelief. "Yuki-chan…" Yuuri couldn't believe what she heard. "Such misfortune," sighed Yuuta in resignation.

Miki stood up and walked to Yuki with a towel in her hands. "Senpai, please be more careful." "Sorry," Yuki mouthed before Taroumaru shakes his fur, throwing water onto the dry members.

"You see? It's really filthy!" Yuki exclaimed while wiping her face. "And there are fish in there. I feel bad for making them live in that."

"That's true. Well, it's warm out today so maybe we should make cleaning the tank our job today," proposed Yuuri while also wiping her face.

"You're just going to play in the water, aren't you?" Kurumi accused.

"Yeah, yeah! That'd be nice, too!" Yuki nodded her head energetically without any attempt to hide her intentions.

"Yuki-senpai, did you do that to Taroumaru on purpose so you could play around?!" Miki shouted, enraged at her.

"N-No! Taroumaru was really enjoying his swim!" Yuki tried to defend herself. "And it made you want to join in?" Kurumi guessed. "A little. A teeny bit," hiding her face behind Taroumaru, she replied in embarrassment.

"That's no good, you know," said Yuuta as he brought his hand on Yuki's head for a light chop. "Yuuta-senpai's right, this is no time to be doing things like…" Miki began to object Yuki's idea but was interjected by Yuuri.

"That's a good idea, Yuki-chan," she gave her approval for the suggestion. "Ehh!" Miki screamed in shock.

"Yes. Let's spend today cleaning the water tank," added Yuuri. "Really, Ri-san?" Yuki asked with excitement. "Sure. We just brought new swimsuits, didn't we?"

"Yippee!" Yuki shouted joyfully. "Isn't that great, Taroumaru?"

"I don't know about that, Ri-san," Kurumi spoke. "There's a guy here, remember?" she said as she pointed at Yuuta leaning on his chair, slowly drifting to sleep.

"So? I don't see the problem with having Yuuta-kun accompany us," replied Yuuri with a smile. "It's not like he'd do anything to us. Am I right, Yuuta-kun?"

Hearing his name being called, Yuuta opened his eyes and answered immediately. "Huh? Err… yes, anything you say, Ri-san."

"See? It's fine," Yuuri spoke to Kurumi. "After all, you've already shown him your figure, don't you, Kurumi?"

Blushing as she was being reminded of yesterday's event, she quieted down. Interestingly, Yuki and Miki also had the same look on their face as Kurumi as they thought of being in only their swimsuit in front of a guy.

Yuuri giggled at their reaction and glanced at Yuuta. To her disappointment, he's already asleep on his seat, as evident of his closed eyes and slow breathing. Bringing her hand to her forehead, she sighed at Yuuta's lack of reaction on the matter especially since he's the main factor for the girls' emotions.

"Everyone!" clapping her hands together, she gained the other girls' attention. "Why don't we change now so we can start cleaning sooner?"

"Okay!" Yuki answered on behalf of the three. "But what about Yuu-kun?"

"Don't worry about him, Yuki-chan. I'll wake him up, so you all just go and prepare first. Hurry up now," she said while pushing Kurumi, Miki and Yuki out of the room.

"Ah! But Ri-san…" turning her head, Yuki spoke with a low voice. "Don't do anything weird to him, okay…?" flashing a creepy smile as he said it.

"I-I get it, Yuki-chan," Yuuri replied while trembling, for the first time afraid of her instead of the usual other way around.

The smile only lasted for two seconds before Yuki ran and joined the other two. Yuuri exhaled in relief when her terrifying presence was gone. 'She scared me for a second there.'

Inhaling once more to calm her nerves, Yuuri then turned around and walked towards the other person still in the room.

His head on the table with his arms crossed under it, Yuuta had unconsciously changed his sleeping arrangement. Yuuri, not wanting to let his slumber delay their pool cleaning session, placed her hand on Yuuta's back and shook it slowly.

"Yuuta-kun, wake up," said softly, it's nigh impossible for Yuuta to be awoken by such a gentle voice. In fact, it had the opposite effect of him digging deeper into sleep.

Her soft method not bearing the intended result, Yuuri coughed a little and with both of her hands, shook Yuuta's body vigorously like kneading a dough. "Wake up, wake up!" shouting more strongly this time, she expected him to rise up after a couple of seconds.

Unfortunately for her, it seems like it would take a noise the level of an explosion to forcefully bring Yuuta back from dreamland. Whether that or Yuki's voice, either one should work.

Afterwards, she tried several other methods to wake him up such as tickling him, pulling his hair(gently), hitting a bowl with a spoon next to his ear, hitting his head with said spoon(again, not too hard), pushing him out of his chair(not successful), even hitting his back with her fists(lightly). Pouting now, she took a glance at the clock and saw that half an hour had already passed since the others had left. Frustrated that she had seemingly failed her task, she subconsciously turned more mischievous and reckless in her tries. A side not many knew including her family, she threw away all reservation and gentleness, opening her eyes which now contained in it a passionate fire.

Taking a deep breath, she readies herself for what she's about to do. Her hands in front of her mouth shaped into a tunnel, she yelled into Yuuta's ears.

"YUUTA-KUN! WAKE UP!"

The force behind the shout was so great that the room trembled slightly while the various utensils still on top of the table moved from their initial position.

Satisfied that she can let herself loose like that, Yuuri opened her eyes, fully expecting Yuuta to arouse from his sleep looking terrified and confused. Indeed, that kind of reaction would greatly please her(sadistic?) heart. As she laid her sights on him, her jaw dropped open, a look of disbelief present in her face.

Still sitting on his chair with his head on the table, Yuuta sleeps peacefully as if nothing had happened. The only difference in his form was the slightly dishevelled hair on his head, likely to be caused by her scream earlier. Aside from that one small detail, he looked similar to a worker sleeping after a good day's work at the office.

Shocked, Yuuri slumped down on the floor, her legs unable to support her anymore, both from tiredness and despair.

"Ri-san!" the door then slides open, revealing the worried expression of Kurumi with Yuki and Miki following close behind her, both with the same face as her, already in their swimsuits albeit with their uniform shirt covering their arms and shoulders.

Turning around very slowly, Yuuri took a few moments before she acknowledged their presence. "Kurumi… Yuki-chan… Miki-san…?" saying the words with an emotionless voice, the others, of course, become worried about her.

"What happened?" Miki was the first to rush to her side. "Did you encounter something? Yuuri-senpai, talk to me!" she shook Yuuri's almost lifeless body.

"Yuuta-kun," finally speaking a word, Miki asked further.

"What about Yuuta-senpai, did he do anything to you? Or did something happen to him?" question after question were berated by Miki to her still unresponsive upperclassman. Kurumi and Yuki meanwhile stood worriedly by her side.

"He…"

"He?" Miki repeated the word.

"He wouldn't wake up!" Yuuri screamed her heart out as tears streamed down her face. Plus, the way she rubbed her eyes while bawling her eyes out made her look like a little kid who lost her favourite toy.

The three girls retreated from her, unsure on how to response. Sobbing continually, the scene actually looked a little comedic, at least that's what the girls thought.

Pausing from crying for a second, Yuuri noticed Yuki and immediately went to her position. "Yuki-chan!" holding her hand, she almost asked desperately at her. "Please wake him up!"

"Err… alright. I'll try my best, Ri-san," replied Yuki. As she passed the in-the-process-of-breakdown Yuuri to Kurumi, she walked to Yuuta and vehemently shook his body. "Yuu-kun! Wake up!"

"Wah… what did I miss?" yawning, Yuuta asked sleepily as he finally awoken from the deep slumber. Glancing around him, he took in the sight of the girls in their swimsuits looking at him with the exception of Yuuri who for some reason was crying like a small child while sitting on the floor, Kurumi comforting her. His still sleepy mind ordered his body to stand up and he did so, following its suggestion to calm her.

"Ri-san, you okay?" he spoke in a lazy voice, the result of being still not quite awake. Placing one hand on her shoulder, he missed the curious look from Kurumi and the other two who're interested to know what happened. Additionally, he also didn't catch the flustered expression on Yuuri's face and was surprised when she suddenly hit his body lightly with her fists.

"Baka baka baka!" the sacred chant of tsunderes, now spouted by Yuuri. "What didn't you wake up earlier? Baka!" she began to throw a tantrum at him.

Yuuta, now fully awake, didn't know how to react but he did know one thing. "Ow, what did I do, Ri-san. I don't think I've done anything wrong, right?" and that is to defend himself from the barrage of soft attacks from Yuuri.

Observing from the sidelines, Kurumi and Miki sighed as they began working out how to separate the two. Yuki however, had the solution already.

"Stop!" she suddenly shouted, showing her palm for dramatic effect. "You, Ri-san," she pointed at Yuuri. "Stop hitting Yuu-kun and cease acting like a child. And you, Yuu-kun," now she pointed her finger at Yuuta. "Apologize to Ri-san, now!"

Hearing Yuki suddenly sound authoritative, the two immediately stopped what they're doing and followed Yuki's order.

Shrinking slightly from being lectured by another person, Yuuri stood up embarrassedly and faced Yuuta with some of her composure. "I'm sorry for what I did earlier, Yuuta-kun. Please accept my apology."

Yuuta, though he didn't exactly know what's going on, apologised nevertheless. "Nah, I'm at fault too I'm sure," he replied with his usual kind smile.

Seeing the two already reconciled with each other, Yuki clapped her hands to bring back the members attention to their objective for the day. "Now, why don't you change now, Ri-san? Of course you too, Yuu-kun."

Nodding timidly, Yuuri exited the room followed by Miki and Yuki. Kurumi was about to exit the room as well before she remembered something. "Wait… Yuuta, do you have a swimwear?"

"Ah, you don't have to worry about that, Kurumi. I believe I have a fresh pair of swimming trunks in my bag," walking out of the room, Kurumi walked behind him as they went to their rooms. "It's still unused if I remember correctly."

"Huh? Why do you bring that along with you?" asked Kurumi.

"Well… you never know when you're gonna have to take a dip in the river or ocean, right?" he answered. "And I 'bought' it from the same mall you all went to when you met Miki."

"Ho? What a coincidence, we got our swimsuits from there too," Kurumi informed. "Except for Miki, though. She had to make do with a spare that Yuki had."

Nodding, Yuuta continued walking. "I see…"

* * *

Ascending the stairs two at a time, I rushed to my destination. Pausing at a step, I inhaled to regain my breath. Resuming my climb, I successfully reached the door.

It was my fault actually that I'm rushing myself. Earlier, after I was spared from Yuuri's uncharacteristically beating by Yuki's similar out-of-character order, I went to my room to change into my swimwear. Unfortunately, I couldn't find that damn piece of cloth and had to spend several minutes emptying my bag and search every corner of my room. Well, the good thing is that I finally found where my mp3 player was. That thing had been missing for two weeks. Eventually, I found the swimming trunks under my blanket, seemingly stuck from static charge. After that, I had to spend several more minutes tidying back my room and inserting all the things I pulled out back inside the bag. As a result, I'm late to join the girls(I convinced them to go first) and resolved to sprint to the rooftop as fast as I could.

Reaching for the handle, I turned it and opened the door. As the warm and bright light of sunshine made itself present to me, I shielded my eyes from its blinding brilliance. Blinking twice to adjust my pupils, I stepped into the roof and quickly made my way to the pool or the water tank, to give its actual purpose.

Arriving in front of the pool, I noticed the girls had already taken out the equipment necessary for the cleaning. Deciding to let my presence known, I called out to them. "Hey, everyone!"

Turning around, they greeted me with their own words.

"Yuu-kun! You're here!"

"You're late, Yuuta. Where'd you go?"

"It's not nice to make us wait, you know."

"My my."

As they took their turns greeting me, I observed their swimwear. Again, it's not because I'm a pervert but more out of curiosity and instinct. 'Okay I'll admit that I do have a little interest in checking out their swimsuits, especially Yuki, but come on, any healthy guy would do that, right?'

For Yuki, she's wearing a light blue bikini with a very short pants the same colour as my eyes, in other words, blue. There also a googol that she wears over her head in front of her cat hat. Alas, I had to try really hard to keep myself from blushing at her figure.

Kurumi, on the other hand, wears a two-piece swimsuit that had a pattern of horizontal red and white stripes with a blue ribbon in front of her chest. Again, she looks beautiful, surely fit to be Sakaki's girlfriend.

Meanwhile, Miki had put on a swimwear that consists of a separate yellow and pink coloured top covering her almost flat breasts with a white line beside them, along with blue bloomers and a brown belt above it.

As for Yuuri, her attire is a light green and dark green bikini, with the top not doing a good job concealing her big breasts while her curves were, of course, bare to be seen, alluring as they are.

Hiding my face with my hand, I couldn't think whether to be grateful for this sight or to sigh and say 'such misfortune'.

"What's wrong, Yuu-kun?" bringing down my hand, I was surprised to see Yuki already a few centimetres in front of my face and staring at me while striking a cute pose like a model. As I was about to open my mouth to say something, Kurumi spoke first.

"Of course there's something wrong, Yuki. Suddenly getting close in his face with those clothes, any guy would be embarrassed."

"Kurumi-senpai's right," Miki then joined in. "Displaying yourself like that, don't you have any shame at all?"

"Yuki-chan, I didn't expect you to be that aggressive," commented Yuuri on the situation. "But you can stare at us all you want, Yuuta-kun. I don't mind at all," she said as she crossed her arms, which caused some… interesting effect on her chest.

Tearing my eyes away from the irresistible bounciness, I exclaimed to her. "If you can ensure that Kurumi won't smack me in the head again, then maybe I would be tempted. Otherwise, I don't want any more concussions on my part because, seriously, that gag has been running long enough."

"B-Baka! It's all your fault and you deserved those punishments," is what Kurumi said, in a typical tsundere manner.

'Huh… Why can't she be honest all the time,' I sighed inside my head. 'It would be nice if she's more honest with others, like Yuki for example.' Looking at Yuki once again, it seems that she had covered herself with her arms, a faint blush decorating her cheek. Our eyes met for a second before she glanced away.

"That said, why don't we start cleaning now?" Yuuri brought me back to reality again with her voice. "We'll start with putting the fishes inside a separate basin before we drain the water. Then, we can scrub the surfaces until they're clean once more. Come on everyone, hurry up."

And so, began our task for the day. Truthfully, I'm quite surprised that she managed to regain her composure quickly after her breakdown earlier(I'm still not certain what's the cause though), she truly is like a big sister character.

After catching the fishes with a net and placing them inside a separate container, draining the water is next. Completing that, me and Miki brought the couch inside the clubroom to set beside the pool. Then, each member was given a pole brush to clean the pool's surfaces. Even Taroumaru joined in the task.

"C'mon, what's the problem?" Kurumi's shout was directed at Yuki. "You won't get this pool clean all hunched over like that!"

Trembling as she struggled with maintaining her balance, Yuki replied. "But Kurumi-chan, the floor's really slippery…" Taroumaru woof in agreement.

"Baka! You will call me 'Seargent'!" yelled Kurumi once more.

"Ehh? You're really on a weird kick today, Kurumi-chan," commented Yuki while holding onto her brush for support.

"Like I said, it's 'Seargent'!" repeating the word again, Kurumi took off with her brush. "Follow my lead, Private Takeya!"

Giggling, Yuuri paused to watch the scene while Miki worked diligently beside her.

Watching those two and the other two noisily and quietly (respectively) going on with their cleaning shows me that the girls are really close friends that encourage and supports each other in times of need and leisure. I started to wonder what would happen if I didn't come to this school. Would the girls still behave like this? Or would their personality differ? I closed my eyes as I imagine a scene where I didn't exist right here, right now.

"Oi, Yuuta!" sadly, before I could picture it, Kurumi's voice snapped me back to the present. Looking down, I saw her staring up at me with an annoyed expression. "Quit lazing around and help us!"

What she said was indeed true. I'm currently sitting at the edge of the pool, doing nothing but, as she said it, lazing around. As for my reasons for not taking part in the cleaning, I blame it on my apparent laziness and lack of proper sleep. In fact, I should be asleep right now instead of sitting here in the hot midday's sun. Of course, neither excuses would please her, so I gave her a ridiculous answer.

"Because I'm the admiral, you know!" crossing my arms over my chest, I began said with a voice that spoke of authority. "It is my job to observe the situation from here, am I right, Sergeant Ebisuzawa?"

Kurumi made a confused face at me. "Huh? Why do you get to be the admiral, what rights do you have!?"

"You dare to defy me, Sergeant?" I continued the act. "I'm the Admiral because I have more experience than you. Also, because you're all girls so my role is to maintain the discipline in the platoon."

"That doesn't make any sense at all," remarked Kurumi. "What are you, a strategy-game player?"

"Heh, maybe I am," I smirked. "But what's important is-" suddenly, I felt my feet being pulled and I effectively fell down into the waterless pool. Closing my eyes, I expected the cold floor of the water tank but instead, I landed on a soft place.

"Sorry about that, Yuu-kun," opening my eyes again, I heard Yuki's apology and the first thing I saw was the colour of light blue. Searching in my mind where I've seen them today, I was pushed slightly from the material. Once I blinked, I finally remembered why the colour was familiar.

'Isn't that the colour of Yuki's top? Doesn't that mean that I just landed on her-' halting my thought, I glanced up and saw Yuki's face beaming an angelic smile at me.

"I don't think being an admiral suits you, Yuu-kun," she spoke, though my mind can't compute what she meant. "I prefer the normal Yuu-kun more. After all, I like you just the way you are!"

That last part made my face blush and my heart to beat faster, I didn't even realise the impending strike heading towards my direction.

*thunk*

"Oww," I groaned in slight pain upon the sudden impact to my head. I turned around and lo and behold, the perpetrator is none other than Kurumi herself, holding her brush above her head.

"To let yourself be taken down by a private like that, you don't deserve to be the admiral," doing an armfold, she speaks further. "Indeed, now your rank is 'Private'! Now, Private Kiriha, start busting those buns and clean this place!"

Sighing in defeat, I accepted my new rank and followed her order, not wanting to get another bump on the head. Surprisingly, I did have fun cleaning the tank, though it's largely caused by having Yuki by my side than actual liking for manual labour. One time, she slipped on the floor and promptly landed on my chest. Grinning, I said, "And now we're even,". Afterwards, she seemed to take care in not losing her footing again.

* * *

"The pool's open!" shouted Yuki in delight.

"Not exactly…" Miki remarked.

Touching the tips of her foot on the water, Yuuri stated. "This is an unlined concrete, unlike an actual pool, so you…" Then Kurumi jumped into the pool, splashing the water at her. "Shouldn't jump in."

"I'm first in!" Kurumi exclaimed her achievement with a wide smile.

"Kurumi-chan, no fair!" Yuki protested.

"As I was saying, you shouldn't…" another splash to the face and Yuuri gave up on her warning.

"I'm… I'm drowning!" flapping her hands around at seemingly being neck down under the water, Yuki shouted for help.

"Hey. What are you doing?" Kurumi asked next to her, the water level only reaching to her waist.

Yuki paused for a second before she stood up. "Oh yeah! My feet touch the bottom!" scooping a little of the pool water, she brought it to her face. "Hey, this doesn't smell like pool water."

"Baka. Pools smell like chlorine," informed Kurumi.

"Really? Can fish live in that stuff?"

"People don't keep fish in their pools, you know," Yuuta stated.

"It'd be nice if you could keep fish in a pool, though," said Yuki. "So you could swim with them?" Kurumi inquired. "Yeah, and when I got hungry…" "You'd eat them alive?!" shouted Kurumi in shock at Yuki's statement while she makes a purring sound.

"Come on, everyone! Let's play together!" called Yuki to the other members.

"Shall we?" Yuuri asked Miki and Yuuta.

"Of course." "Fine by me."

As the three joined Yuki and Kurumi inside the pool, they were splashed by water from the two.

"Senpais!" Miki yelled at them.

"Ohh, now you've done it!" exclaimed Yuuta as he started splashing at the two as payback.

"That's cold!" Yuki shouted playfully. "Now take this!" Meanwhile, Kurumi responded to the challenge and the two began sending attacks at each other.

"Looking at it now, the tank is pretty big," commented Miki from a distance. She then saw Yuuri patting Taroumaru on the head at the pool's edge. Quietly approaching, she reached out her hand to touch him but then he ran to her right towards Yuki. She then sighed in frustration.

"Hey, Ri-san, what're those things?" Yuki gestured to beside her. Turning to the direction, Yuuri answered.

"Oh, those are solar panels," she said as she looked at the other section of the roof. "What's a solar panel?" Yuki asked. "They're sun-powered battery, changing the sun's light energy to electric energy that we can use," Yuuta explained. "It's thanks to them that we're able to live a normal life."

"For now that is," Yuuri added in a low tone. "And there's a water purifier, too," stated Miki. "It filters water from the river and groundwater," informed Yuuta again.

"Ehh… you sure know a lot, Yuuta," Kurumi remarked.

"What? It's common knowledge. I'd understand if Yuki doesn't know about it but you should at least be aware of their functions, Kurumi," exclaimed Yuuta in response to her statement.

"You saying I'm dumb or something?!" Yuuta just smirked and looked away. "Why, you!"

As Kurumi began barraging Yuuta once again with water, Miki started recounting the words she saw some time ago.

"If Megurigaoka High School were a town, and the students it's citizens, they would be able to do all the tasks needed to be self-sufficient."

"That's from the school brochure, isn't it?" Yuuri recognised the line. "I've read it so many times, I've got it memorised," Miki admitted. "There are only five of us now, though."

"I wonder how many they intended for the school to support…" pondered Yuuri as she gazes into the distance. "They certainly didn't leave anything out," said Miki. "As if…"

"As if they expected something like this to happen," Yuuri finished the line. They both stood solemnly in the water, mind thinking about the statement.

"That's enough of that," Kurumi suddenly interrupted them out of their melancholy. "Why don't we just have fun for today, instead of thinking about all this stuff?"

"You're right," agreed Yuuri. "Yes," Miki also.

"Ohh!" hearing Yuki's voice, the three girls turned to look at her. What they saw was the sight of Taroumaru wearing Yuki's googol over his face… standing on Yuuta's head. "Taroumaru, you look awesome!"

"Since when did my head become a perch for him?" Yuuta remarked as he tried to steady his head.

"What are you doing?" Miki asked incredulously.

The group then proceeded to have fun inside the pool. Playing with the beach ball they got from… somewhere, having swimming competitions, contesting on staying underwater the longest and other activities usually done when at the pool.

After one or two hours of moving around, Yuuta began feeling tired and went to the couch to rest himself.

"Where are you going, Yuuta-senpai?" asked Miki.

"I'm going to sleep for a little bit. You girls can keep having fun, don't mind about me," Yuuta replied as he dropped down on the soft cushion that he always seems to return to.

Sitting beside him was Yuuri who was in the middle of fiddling with Miki's CD player. "Still nothing coming in," she sighed at the lack of any active radio stations, just static was heard. Hearing some footsteps, she looked down and saw Taroumaru sniffing at her direction. "Taroumaru?" she was about to wonder further when another voice called for her.

"Ri-san," going to Yuki's place, she asked her. "What? Is something wrong?" "Ri-san, look," Yuki presented her with what looks like a water gun. If Yuuta was still awake he would say something along the lines of "Why is there a water gun on the rooftop?" but alas, he's out of the loop.

"Oh, I forgot we had those," Yuuri said. "Are they water guns?" questioned Yuki. "What're those doing here?" Kurumi asked the question that Yuuta would say.

"Someone brought them out here," informed Yuuri. "How about it. Interested?"

* * *

"Hey, tell me one last thing," Kurumi stood as she faced her opponent, twin water guns on the sides of her waist along with her trusty shovel at the back.

"What would that be?" Yuuri, with a slightly bigger water gun at her side and wearing a sun hat, inquired.

"I can tell you're a veteran gunman. Got any aliases?"

"Oh, perhaps."

As the wind blows, Yuki and Miki popped up their heads behind a plant a safe distance from the ensuing fight. "What's with the mood around them?" stated Miki.

Suddenly, Yuuri took off running to the side in which Kurumi followed. Bringing out their weapons, they fired at each other.

"Like hell they're just toys someone 'brought up here'!" Kurumi shouted in between shots. Resting behind a plant she spoke again. "I bet you brought most of them yourself!"

A giggle could be heard from Yuuri. "Bingo. As a reward, I'll give you two useful tips. One; you were quite joyfully shooting rapid fire, but that dual wielding style should have you uneasy about your remaining ammo," Kurumi realised her words as true. "Two; I'll tell you my nickname," Yuuri continued talking. "The Balloon Bomb Sorceress."

"What?" Out of nowhere, two small balloons flew through the air to Kurumi's position. Holstering her water guns, she stood up and ran before they reached her.

"Gotcha!" however, Yuuri expected her move and threw another water bomb at her direction.

"Nice try!" exclaimed Kurumi as she took out her shovel and used it to shield herself from the balloon.

'No way!' Yuuri thought in shock. 'She deflected the water balloon without breaking it?!' By the way, the deflected bomb landed somewhere near the pool.

"Final round!" "Bring it on!" Both the opponents shouted at each other as they came closer to the pool. Jumping at the edge, they flew through the air for a few seconds before hitting the water.

"Ri-san!" "Kurumi-senpai!" Yuki and Miki approached the pool to check on the two. After a moment underwater, they both arise from the waters and pointed their respective guns at one another… before a stream of water hit them both.

"You're both too noisy!" Yuuta, his face wet and sporting an angry expression, yelled as he held the water hose. "Can't a guy get some peaceful sleep around here?!"

"Sorry." "I got too worked up." apologised Kurumi and Yuuri as they floated face up on the water.

* * *

"Okay, fetch!" shouted Kurumi after she threw the Frisbee disk. Taroumaru immediately chased after it followed by another person. "You won't beat me!" which is Yuki, obviously. "Wait up!"

Lying on the surface of the water, Yuuta relaxed his body while drifting slowly around the pool. 'Ah, this is a summer's lifestyle… I guess,' he spoke in his mind. 'Floating back down inside a pool, surrounded by girls, playing from day until dusk, the only thing missing right now is some snacks and drinks.' Standing up and shaking his head to remove any water inside his ears, he stretched his body and started walking to the edge of the water. 'At least that's what I think summer is like. Hard to know for sure when you seldom went out on vacations.'

Out of the pool, he sat on the couch next to Yuuri. "You tired, Yuuta-kun?" she asked him.

"Yeah. I don't think I've ever had fun like this since I started high school," Yuuta replied. "It certainly relieves some stress, though," massaging his left shoulder to emphasise his point.

Giggling, Yuuri watched him as he sat cross-legged on the couch. "Then it's a good thing we did this, right?"

"You're definitely correct about that, Ri-san," Yuuta agreed. "Especially after last night."

"That aside, what were you going to say earlier this morning?" inquired Yuuri. "The part before Yuki-chan came in and roped everyone to clean this place."

"Ah, that," Yuuta remembered. "Well, what I want to say is that there's something potentially very vital in the second basement floor. Perhaps something like-"

"Huh? Yuuri-senpai, is that…" unfortunately, yet again Yuuta was interrupted from his talk. This time by Miki who was closing the large umbrella used as a shade on the roof.

Yuuri, surprised, turned towards her and thought for a second before her eyes landed on the CD player resting on her lap. "Oh yes. This is your CD player, isn't it?" inquired her. "I'm sorry. I saw it had a built-in radio, so I tried it out," finishing, she handed it to Miki.

"It's okay. Did anything come in?" Miki asked.

Shaking her head side to side, she informed her. "I thought I could get a signal up here, but no…"

Miki accepted the answer and then turned around when she heard a sound of footsteps approaching her. Looking beside her, she saw Taroumaru by her feet. "Taroumaru?" crouching down, she also brought the CD player down in which the puppy started sniffing on it.

While Miki was preoccupied with the dog, Yuuri turned back to face Yuuta to continue their conversation. "Now, what were you saying, Yuuta-kun?"

However, when she faces in his direction, Yuuri found out that Yuuta had turned around from her and staring at the distance.

"Yuuta-kun?" spoke Yuuri. "You're about to say something earlier, right. What is it?"

Yuuta sighed before replying. "It's nothing, Ri-san. Just the ramblings of a guy who'd seen too many conspiracy shows."

"Hmm?" Yuuri looked visibly confused about his action but decided to just leave it like that. She set her sights back on Miki and Taroumaru, watching as Miki reached her hand to pat the dog's head, him not repulsing her like before. Then, Taroumaru ran away before running back to Miki with a Frisbee disk between her teeth. "I think he wants you to play with him," Yuuri gave her suggestion.

"Right!" setting the CD player aside, she grabbed the disk and Taroumaru suddenly got close to her. Shocked at first, she then hugged the pup happily.

From atop the couch, Yuuta glanced at the scene with a smile of his own. Rising from the comfortable seat, he walked a few steps before sitting down at the water's edge, his feet in the pool.

"Yuu-kun, can I sit here?" looking at his side, he saw Yuki. "Of course," he gave his reply.

Settling at Yuuta's right, Yuki stared at the setting sun with Yuuta. "Today sure is fun, don't you think so, Yuu-kun?" she asked him.

"Yeah, it is fun. So much that I don't really want this day to end," Yuuta gave his honest feelings. "But every good thing must come to an end someday."

"Then we just have to find new fun things everyday," Yuki tried to cheer him. "I'm sure we can find them if we try hard enough."

Turning to face Yuki, Yuuta seemed surprised that she can speak something inspiring. Smiling, he chuckled a little and said to her. "I suppose that's true. Never would I thought that you'll be the one to said it to me, though."

"Hehe, I'm pretty smart, aren't I?" Yuki complimented herself.

"Yes… sometimes," Yuuta added the last word with a smirk. Hearing that, Yuki was about to protest but a voice reached her ears.

"Hey, you two!" the voice belongs to Kurumi. "It's time to wrap things up already!" she called with Yuuri and Miki beside her.

"Okay!" replied Yuuta. Standing up once again, he extended one hand to Yuki, a smile on his face. "Need some help?"

Seeing Yuuta looking at her with that kind expression, a hint of crimson crept on Yuki's cheek but she accepted it nonetheless. They then joined the other three in completing their task on the roof. Putting the fishes back inside their pond, Yuuri placed several lily pads on the water surface.

"The tank's all clean now," commented Kurumi after their work is done.

"Now Taroumaru will be okay when he falls in," Yuki said.

"Please don't drop him in!" pleaded Miki. Taroumaru grunted disappointingly and the others laughed.

* * *

*yawn* "Today's really tiring."

Lying down on the floor of my room, I remarked on the current condition of my body. Granted, I've been cleaning the pool and then playing inside it since the morning until sunset. Also, my supposed peaceful sleep was interrupted by Kurumi's and Yuuri's sudden water gun fight that I had to put them down because they're too loud. Although, maybe it is my fault for taking my eyes from them and selfishly resting when they're still high with excitement. The best part, though, is that Taroumaru seems to finally opened up again to Miki. That scene where she hugged him was so nice to watch that I couldn't help but smile happily for them.

"Well, that's enough rest, I think," rising from my position, I grabbed my sword and walked towards the entrance. Sliding the door open, I stepped outside. Starting my night patrol, I went to the room next door, the girls' bedroom.

Even though seeing all four girls in their swimsuit was a nice and refreshing sight(not to mention satisfying), I still ended up staring mostly on Yuki. Glancing sometimes to her direction or just being with her inside the pool, I'm seriously wondering if I should just tell already about my feelings for her. The problem is, there's still a nagging feeling at the back of my head that says I shouldn't tell her, for reasons that I know all too well. This doubt, if you can call it that, is the last thing preventing me from confessing to Yuki.

Shaking my head to clear any non-work related thoughts, I remembered that I'm still in front of the girls' room. Noticing that the door was a little bit ajar, I peeked inside. Seeing that they're all sound asleep, I smiled inwardly. 'They must all be tired,' indeed, after showering and dinner, the four went straight to bed, even Yuuri, leaving only me to clean and wash the dishes. Not that I mind, of course.

Closing the door slowly and quietly so as not to disturb their slumber, I began my daily round for real.

"Auuuu…"

"What was that?!" turning my head around, I tried to identify the sound. I knew it to be the sound of a dog howling, but I can't figure out the source or owner. After all, the only dog in here should be Taroumaru but he couldn't be out here since he's supposed to be inside the bedroom, sleeping. For what business would he go outside the room? Dismissing the sound as perhaps just a stray dog who wandered into the school buildings, I resumed patrolling our safe zone.

Walking cautiously, I recalled that while I was inside the bathroom, I heard the girls talking about going to the second basement floor the tomorrow. That's why I should make sure that the surrounding area is safe for us to move and there are no undeads blocking the way. Thinking back towards the conversation I had in the morning with the girls about that particular place, a question entered my mind.

'I wonder what we will find in there?'


	19. Chapter 19: Beginning of the End

Chapter 19 - Beginning of the End

Inside the girls' bedroom, Yuki woke up from her sleep.

*yawn* opening her eyes, she looked around her. Seeing that she's the only one in the room at the moment, she assumed that the other girls had already woken up.

Stretching her arms, she reluctantly got up from her bed and opened her closet to change her clothes. While taking off her sleepwear, she couldn't help but feel something's amiss in the situation. Thinking hard about it while she continued putting on her school uniform, she finally found out the source of the missing part in the room.

"Oh right! Taroumaru, where are you, boy?" exclaimed Yuki as she finished wearing her cat hat. Turning around, she went over to the place where Taroumaru was designated to sleep, a box that's written 'House of Taroumaru', placed under the window next to their beds.

Crouching down, the one thing that she notices was Taroumaru's collar lying in front of the box, the dog nowhere to be seen.

"That's strange, I wonder where he is?" Yuki exclaimed as she thought about Taroumaru whereabout. "Maybe he went to the clubroom for breakfast?" said Yuki after she dwelled on the matter for a few moments. Deciding to leave it like that, she stood back up and slides open the door with the intent of going to the clubroom herself for some breakfast.

Along the way to the place, she encountered Yuuta going in the same direction as her. "Yuu-kun, good morning," she waved a hand in the air.

"Hmm, ah morning, Yuki," greeted Yuuta sleepily. Due to the tiring day yesterday, he hadn't been feeling very active this morning. After midnight came, he promptly dropped to sleep and barely managed to wake up before the others. That, and the howling from the night before kept him from sleeping peacefully. It's as if it was some bad premonition. "You going to the clubroom too?"

"Yeah," Yuki replied to Yuuta's question. "It'll also be nice if we could go play in the pool again today."

"You shouldn't play all the time, you know," reprimanded Yuuta. "Try studying a bit, Yuki. Success doesn't come so easily in real life."

"I know that, I know that," Yuki waved her hand lazily as if to brush away Yuuta's concern. "I'll try harder, later that is."

Sighing, Yuuta spoke. "It really is hard convincing you, isn't it?"

"He he," giggled Yuki before she slides open the door leading into the clubroom. It seems they have arrived at their destination during their short conversation.

"Morning." greeted Yuuta and Yuki simultaneously to the room's inhabitants.

"Morning, Yuki-chan." "Good morning." answering their greeting was Yuuri and Miki. "You're up early for once," commented Yuuri while Yuki observed the room before crouching down in front of Taroumaru's bowl.

"Are you hungry?" asked Yuuri. "That don't mean you can eat Taroumaru's food, senpai," Miki stated the obvious fact. Meanwhile, Yuuta took a seat on the table, leaning against the chair and resting his sword by his side.

Turning to the two, Yuki said. "No, I just noticed that Taroumaru wasn't in his bed when I woke up. Only his collar was lying there, so I thought he might be here," she explained.

Miki was surprised at the information. The same could also be said about Yuuta as he straightened his back immediately after hearing it. His mind rewind to last night when he heard the dog's howl and wondered whether it really was Taroumaru who made the sound.

"I'm sure Taroumaru is just wandering around the school premise, Yuki-chan," Yuuri spoke. "It's not the first time he did this after all."

"Yeah. Maybe you're right, Ri-san," nodding, Yuki agreed with her opinion.

Not entirely satisfied with Yuuri's hypothesis, Miki stood up and went to their bedroom to check for the pup herself. Yuuta, deciding to rest for a while, went back to leaning on the chair with his hands behind his head.

A few minutes later, Kurumi entered the room. Bored at the lack of things to do, she picked up a ping pong ball and started bouncing it against the wall, catching it as the ball returned.

The almost depressing atmosphere continued until Yuki went over to the windows and commented on the weather. "It's raining."

"It is?" Kurumi asked.

"Yeah," confirmed Yuki. "Because all the sports teams are running for cover."

While Yuki was contemplating about the weather, Yuuri was making a checkup of their supplies inside her notebook. Worried that only a small amount was left, she sighed before hearing Miki's voice from outside the room.

"Taroumaru!" she called for the dog while placing his bowl full of dog food outside the clubroom door. "Breakfast!"

"What's Taroumaru up to?" spoke Yuki from the entrance. "Normally he'd smell the food and rush right over," Miki replied with a low "Yes…" "What could he like more than food?" pondered Yuki before she had an idea. "Maybe he's on a date?" "There are no girl dogs around here," Miki shot down the suggestion.

"He's too smart for his own good," stated Kurumi as she continued throwing the ball. "We put that collar on as tight as we could," remarked Yuuri. "Maybe… it really was him," Yuuta said in a whisper.

"I'm going to look for him," Miki suddenly voices. "I don't want him to get lost."

"Me too!" Yuki joined the search. "It's raining, and he'll catch a cold if he gets too wet."

"Okay, let's go find him," exclaimed Kurumi loudly.

"I'll join too," spoke Yuuta. "More hands make lighter work, right?"

"What if he really did leave the school building, though?" inquired Miki worryingly.

"It'll be fine," picking her shovel, Kurumi assured her. "He's a smart dog. He wouldn't go anywhere dangerous for no reason. You and Yuki can focus on this floor," she started giving orders. The two nodded. "I'll check the upper floors. Yuuta, you can look at the lower floors."

"Alright," agreed Yuuta as he stood up and lifted his sword.

However, Yuuri was worried about them. "Will you two be okay alone?"

"We'll be fine." "Don't worry about us, Ri-san." Kurumi and Yuuta replied. "But it's raining today," added Yuuri.

"I know. I won't do anything reckless," promised Kurumi. "He's one high-maintenance pup, though, huh?"

Yuuri smiled at the answer but felt a little uneasy since Yuuta didn't reply her. "Yuuta-kun?"

"Hmm? Ah yeah. I'll be careful too," Yuuta remarked hastily as if he was just brought back to reality. "I'll be going first then."

Seeing Yuuta suddenly exiting the room, Yuuri was a bit surprised but since she couldn't do anything, she just watched as the other three also filed out. Inside her mind, she prayed for the members' safety, including Taroumaru's.

* * *

"Oi, Taroumaru!" shouted Kurumi. "Where'd you go? It's time for breakfast! Get out here!"

Having no success in just yelling the dog's name, Kurumi next went to the rooftop. Since it was still raining, she brought an umbrella to keep her dry from the rain.

"I doubt he opened the door to come here, but…" staring at the water tank where they had fun yesterday, she once again called for the pup.

"Taroumaru! Hey!" walking between the gardens, she concluded. "I guess he wouldn't be over here," stopping beside the cross marked as Megu-nee's grave, she remembered the time when her teacher was still alive and the club was still forming.

"He may be a little runt, but he's a club member, too," spoke Kurumi in front of the cross. "Watch over him, sensei," with that said, she left the rooftop.

"Hey! If you don't come out soon, Yuki's gonna eat all your food!" shouted Kurumi again to attract Taroumaru's attention. "I've got a ping pong ball. Let's play catch!"

Without realising it, Kurumi had descended the stairs to below where Yuuta was supposed to search. Halting because of the barrier placed at the stairs, she came to notice several paw prints left on the desk making up the barrier.

"Those are Taroumaru's," recognising the prints as belonging to the pup, she began to think of a possibility. "He couldn't have…" jumping to the stairs beside her, she looked around before seeing the same prints on the desk marked on the steps leading downwards.

"Seriously? We've never been down these stairs," she said in disbelief before sensing two undead walking towards her. Quickly, she descended the stairs all the way down until she reached the lowest known floor.

"This is… that room from the manual" at the end of the first basement floor was a metal shutter, just like Yuuta described yesterday. The difference is that the shutters were opened and kept from closing by a desk.

Stepping towards the opening while cautiously observing her surroundings, Kurumi heard a grunting sound along with a well-known figure coming from the darkness of the unknown place.

"Taroumaru!" rushing towards the owner of the voice she crouched down. "Man, don't worry us like that!" extending her hand, she immediately pulled back when the figure lurched forward.

Retreating backwards, her sight was glued on the figure who just growled at her. "You…" the dog baring its sharp teeth, Kurumi lifted her shovel up and pondered on her action.

'What do I do?' looking around her, her mind thought hard on a plan. 'What should I…'

Suddenly, the once gentle pup rushed forward and jumped towards her. Kurumi managed to barely dodge sideways but the dog was not giving any chances. Turning back for another attack, she blocked it with her shovel, causing the figure to be deflected and landed on the floor.

"Ah, I'm sorry!" Kurumi reflexively apologised but she quickly realised the situation again. The brown pup still growling, tears welled in her eyes as she thought about the dog. 'Tarou…maru…"

Leaping toward her again, the corrupted form of the club's pet sank its teeth at Kurumi's shovel. Letting go of it, Kurumi ran along the hallway as she desperately tried to formulate a plan. 'Think! Think! Think!'

The dog gave chase to her and she opened a door to a room. Hiding behind the door, she tossed the ping pong ball that she was playing with earlier into the room. The pup instinctively went to catch the ball, in which Kurumi used the distraction to exit the room and closes the door.

Breathing heavily as she leant her body against the door, she could feel Taroumaru slamming the door from the other side. Going back to the location where she dropped her shovel, she picked it up and then turned towards the entrance to the second basement.

"You…" her mind filled with anger, she shouted at the opening. "You did this to Taroumaru!"

Entering the place, Kurumi descended the short stairs onto the lower floor that was flooded a little by water. Her each steps making a splashing noise in the shelter, she proceeded further into the place. Then, she saw a figure in the lowly lit underground level, seemingly just standing still under the light. Narrowing her eyes, she stared in shock as she recognises the figure's form.

Running backwards and hiding behind a section of the wall, she contemplated on her findings. 'Damn it… Are you kidding me?' Then, she heard a splashing noise in the waters, indicating that the figure is moving towards her.

Breathing very erratically, her heartbeat increased with each passing second. Peeking from her hiding spot, she asked the figure. "This is where you've been?"

Closer and closer the figure approaches. Her hand was trembling as she gripped her shovel so she held them together. The noise of the water gets louder and nearer. She opened her palm and saw the mark left by Taroumaru when the dog bit into the shovel's handle earlier.

"Why?" she said slowly. "Why?!" screamed Kurumi as she rushed out into the hallway, her shovel in her hands, towards the undead form of what was once her teacher.

Closing their distance quickly, she raised her weapon up in the air to strike the figure but halted before dealing the blow. For a few seconds, she froze as she remembered Megu-nee's kind and gentle face. Doubt began entering her mind and she lost all sense of her surroundings.

"KURUMI!"

The sound of splashing water and her name being called could be heard from behind Kurumi before she was pushed and landed on her left side.

Still in a mild catatonic state, she blinked once before her mind began registering back reality. In front of her was the sight of the teacher's corrupted figure sinking its teeth into the shoulder of another person she knows all too well, the one who had shouted her name earlier and rescued her from being attacked in her moment of shock. The person was…

"Yuuta…"

* * *

'Today is definitely not my day.'

That's what I thought as I stand here, my right shoulder burning in pain from being bitten by an undead who, now that I look at it, seems to be Megu-nee. And it all started this morning.

Due to my exhaustion from yesterday's event, I didn't really manage to complete my daily patrol and before I knew it, I had slept sitting in one of the empty rooms. Upon opening my eyes back, the sun was already peeking over the horizon and I scrambled to wake up before the girls realise my tardiness.

With a still sleepy mind, I marched to the clubroom for a decent breakfast and encountered Yuki along the way. Entering the clubroom side by side, she unexpectedly crouched in front of Taroumaru's bowl and said that he was missing from his usual place inside the girls' bedroom. My mind rewinds towards last night where I heard the howling of a dog. My mind considered whether it really was Taroumaru who made the sound. After Miki tried calling for him with no results, she decided to search for the dog with Yuki and Kurumi also joining. Naturally, I also counted myself in.

To the lower floors I went, calling the pup and checking every room for any sign of him. After an hour of no clues, I walked towards the barricade to see if he had indeed wandered out from the safe zone. Arriving at one placed to block the stairs, I spotted some paw prints of a small animal that size matches that of Taroumaru's own feet. Moving my head around to see where it leads, I saw them going downwards to the stairs below, to the basement floor that I once went. I debated in my mind on what to do, go now or call the others first.

As I was thinking about my next course of action, I heard a human voice coming from downstairs. Immediately, I leapt to the next stair and started descending the steps to determine the source of the sound. Reaching the place from a year and a half ago, I saw that the metal shutters has been lifted and a desk was placed under them to stop it from closing.

Breathing hardly from my sprint, I gulped before entering the suspiciously sinister looking basement. The inside was dark with some light bulb on the ceiling, giving it the impression of a bomb shelter. Well, considering the world's condition, that may be more or less what this place was supposed to function as.

The floor was a little flooded with water that reached my lower leg. Looking forwards, I could see two figures in the dimly lit corridor with one of them blocking the other. The one in front I could recognise as Kurumi with her shovel raised above her head, freezing in place for some reason. However, I could feel a really dark aura permeating from the figure behind her.

Finally realising that the aura the being was giving is the same as of Ruiko's and my mom after they were turned into those beings, I rushed towards her and called her name to make her realise the danger she's facing. Arriving at her position and pushing her out of the way, it seems that I have come in the nick of time as the undead suddenly lurched forward to where she was just a moment ago.

"Aww…"

Unfortunately, where she was a moment ago was replaced by me and as a result, I was the one who got bitten instead.

"Ergh…" groaning in pain, I kicked the club's teacher in the middle section, sending her tumbling backwards and tearing a chunk of my shoulder along with it.

"ARGH!" I screamed as blood began to leak from the wound on my right shoulder. The pain was so shocking that I temporarily lost my grip on my sword. Instinctively, I brought my left hand on the shoulder to cover the injury.

"Yuuta…"

Then, I heard Kurumi calling my name and realised that I and her are still in this basement along with Megu-nee's corrupted form. Looking at the direction of said teacher, she seems to be having trouble getting up, but it was just a matter of time before she does.

Grabbing my sword that had fallen into the water, I walked to Kurumi and shook her shoulders. "Kurumi! We've got to leave now!" no reaction from her was seen as if her mind was still in shock over the situation. "Kurumi, snap out of it!" shaking her body further doesn't seem to bring her back to reality, so I did one thing that I never thought I would do.

*slap*

I slapped her cheek with my left hand since my right hand still hurts like hell. Blinking again, she appeared to have come out a little bit of whatever state she was in. "Come on, hurry!" I grabbed her arm and lifted her up(mind you, my shoulder is still bleeding) with my uninjured arm. Leading her away from the place, we moved slowly due to my injury and Kurumi's shock.

Exiting the second basement floor, I collapsed down on the floor, my legs giving out due to supporting my and Kurumi's weight in an injured condition. Releasing my grasp on Kurumi, I once again held my right shoulder, the blood now soaking into the right side of my school shirt.

After resting for a minute, I picked myself up and Kurumi in the process. To the clubroom was my destination as I struggled with the pain. Along the way, I felt something foreign trying to enter my body. No, that's not right. Yes, it is foreign and unnatural but it felt more like my soul was being invaded. But of course, I didn't let it gain control of me.

At least for now.

* * *

Standing inside the clubroom, Yuuri looked through the window to the rain pouring outside.

"We're back," she heard the door slides open and Yuki's voice. "We couldn't find Taroumaru," she informed. "It's already afternoon," Miki then stated. "Taroumaru still hasn't come back?"

"No. I just got back myself," said Yuuri. "Where's Kurumi-chan and Yuu-kun?" Yuki inquired. "They're not back yet," answered Yuuri. "Maybe they're still looking for him. I'll go back out to-" Miki began suggesting before the door slides open again revealing Kurumi with a shocked look on her face.

"Kurumi, did you find anything?" Yuuri began asking before another figure entered the door frame, surprising everyone in the room.

"Yo…" spoke Yuuta as he supports Kurumi's body with one arm and the other arm painted red from blood coming out of his shoulder. "Did we missed lunch?"

"Yuuta-kun!" "Yuu-kun!" "Yuuta-senpai!" The girls shouted as Yuuta stumbled through the entrance and fell down, the adrenaline from earlier starting to decrease from his blood. Meanwhile, Yuuri managed to catch Kurumi before she also loses her ground.

"He he, I kind of screwed up, didn't I?" even in the state he's in, Yuuta still had the composure to stay calm. "Ah, thanks, Miki," he said as Miki moved in to lift him up.

Yuki stared at the scene, shocked like the others but decided to do something useful. "Where's the first aid kit?"

Turning her head as she supported Kurumi's body, Yuuri answered. "There should be one in the staff room."

"Got it!" hearing that, Yuki exited the room and ran to get the medical kit.

Inside, Yuuri urged Kurumi to snap her out of her shock. "Kurumi, what happened out there? Answer me," shaking her body, Yuuta instead replied to her question.

"It was… Megu-nee," rising up with Miki's support, he continued. "I found her at the… emergency evacuation shelter. We found… Megu-nee there," breathing slowly, Yuuta continued. "I saved her from Megu-nee but…" he smiled weakly, "I got bitten instead, huh."

Yuuri's eye widened at the revelation. She looked again at Kurumi's face who still sported the shocked and terrified expression. Resolve in her heart, she lifted Kurumi to stand up. "Miki-san, could you handle carrying Yuuta-kun?"

"Yes," answered Miki. With that, Yuuta and Kurumi walked slowly to another room with Miki and Yuuri accompanying and supporting them.

Arriving at another room, Miki sets her upperclassman down on the couch while Kurumi slumped down on the floor with her back facing the windows. Then, Yuki came in with the first aid kit and Yuuri immediately went to nursing Yuuta's wound. Removing his bloodied shirt, she applied antiseptics before bandaging the spot where he's injured.

"Ri-san, is there anything I can do to help?" inquired Yuki. "No… not right now," Yuuri replied with a low tone. Disappointed at the response, Miki spoke to her. "Could you go boil some water, then?"

"Okay! I will! Anything for Yuu-kun!" rushing outside, Miki commented on her words.

"That last part is kinda unnecessary, though," smiling solemnly, she watched as Yuuri stood up only to quickly went back down. "Are you okay?!"

"I'm sorry…" apologised Yuuri. "It's okay," Miki answered. "I can't be like this. I need to get it together," Yuuri remarked. "You're doing great, senpai. But you should rest for a bit!" the underclassman exclaimed in concern. "No. I can't make Yuki-chan do all the work," was what the club president answered. Suddenly, they heard the sound of Kurumi groaning.

"I… I failed," Yuuri and Miki went to her place. "Taroumaru was… Megu-nee… and now Yuuta…" her head between her legs, the two could hear her sobbing. "I'm sorry…"

Miki's mouth gaped open as she couldn't believe what she just heard. "No… Taroumaru…"

Yuuri just stared as she didn't know if she could take any more surprise at the point. To make matters worse, Yuuta suddenly started shouting from his position on the couch.

"AAHHH!" Yuuri rushed to his side. Her eyes widened as she saw the blood veins on his shoulder bulging as if something was invading Yuuta's body. Slitting one eye open, he exclaimed. "Ah, sorry… did I just scream that out loud? Haha…"

Miki watched her male upperclassman struggling, still in shock over the news about Taroumaru. Then, she saw Kurumi standing up from her position with her shovel in hand. Walking to the couch where Yuuta lied, she came to a stop beside Yuuri.

"Kurumi, what are you doing?" inquired her before her eyes widened again as she gasped in shock when Kurumi lifted her shovel over her head. Her eyes were hidden by her hair, but the shovel was undeniably positioned to strike Yuuta. "Kurumi! No!"

"We can't let him turn into them," Kurumi spoke while tears were still in her eyes. "I've promised to him that I would put him down if he ever got infected. I will fulfil that promise."

His eyes closed, Yuuta couldn't see the danger coming towards him. "Even so, you don't have to kill him now!" yelled Yuuri. "There must be a way to cure him!"

"No, I'll do it. Just like I did with… Subaru-kun…" Kurumi froze in her steps when she uttered the words. "Yes, just like I did with Subaru-kun… his best friend," her mind began to replay the dreaded scene from her memory again.

"Hey Ri-san, I've boiled the water. Where is the cloth-" Yuki stopped mid-sentence as she took in the scene. Kurumi with her shovel raised high in the air with Yuuta unconscious in front of him and Yuuri beside her, eyes wide with shock. "Eh?" her brain couldn't comprehend the sight. "What are you doing, Kurumi-chan?"

Turning her head, Kurumi's eyes met with Yuki's own. Those purple eyes immediately widened the same like Yuuri's. "I… I," she tried to explain what she's about to do, but her resolution was quickly decreasing. Now that Yuki was here, her resolve had dropped to zero. "I… I… AAAHH!"

Stepping away from the couch, Kurumi ran outside of the room. Ashamed to even look at Yuki's face, she rushed past her.

A few seconds later, Yuki realised what she's here for. "Ri-san, where is the cloth and where should I place the kettle?"

Yuuri was surprised for a while before she answered. "Ah, I'll get the cloth, Yuki-chan. You can stay here and accompany Yuuta-kun in the meantime," standing up, she turned to Miki. "You too, Miki-san."

Yuki nodded and went to sit in front of Yuuta, her hands touching his. Snapping from her shock, Miki also nodded and moved over to stand beside Yuki.

Returning with the cloth, Yuuri wetted it with the boiled water and rubbed his face before placing it on Yuuta's forehead. His body was also covered with a blanket. Furthermore, as a safety precaution, one of his hands and feet were chained to the leg of the couch with a couple of handcuffs.

Sitting on a chair, Yuuri breathed tiredly over the exhausting work. She removed her hand from her face and looked at Yuki. Still beside Yuuta, she held his uninjured hand tightly, almost not wanting to let it go.

The door slides open and Yuuri turned around to the entrance. She saw Miki gesturing for her to come outside, so she followed.

"What is it, Miki-san?"

"Um… I read through this again," Miki said as she held the emergency evacuation manual. "Yuuta-senpai said that they found Megu-nee at the emergency shelter, right?"

"Yes, what about it?" confirmed Yuuri.

"It says there's medicine down there," informed Miki.

"What?!" Yuuri exclaimed and went to Miki's side.

"Right here," Miki showed her the section where the information was stated.

"I'll go!"

"No, I will," Miki shoots down Yuuri's suggestion. "Yuuri-senpai, please watch over Yuuta-senpai and Kurumi-senpai."

"You can't go alone!" Yuuri raised her voice.

"I'll just look around. I won't do anything rash."

"That's what they both said!" yelled Yuuri.

Miki stood silent for a few seconds before replying. "I think the reason Kurumi-senpai is in shock is because it was Megu-nee, and Yuuta-senpai just got unlucky when saving her," they both glanced at Yuuta's figure, breathing still ragged with sweat pouring from his pores. "I won't have that problem. Please let me go."

Yuuri sighed in defeat, giving her confirmation although a little reluctant.

"Hey, what are you two talking about?" Yuki went over to their place, curious about their conversation.

"It's nothing, Yuki-senpai," Miki started walking away from the room.

"Where are you going?"

"The bedroom. I need my sword," was Miki's answer.

"Huh?" Yuki looked confused at the answer. Looking at Yuuri, she noticed that she's rubbing her eyes. "Ri-san, what's the matter?"

Drying her tears, she answered back. "Don't worry, Yuki-chan. I'm fine," she also began marching away from Yuki. "I'm going to check on Kurumi for a while. Stay inside the room and lock it, okay?"

Yuki was perplexed at the order but complied nonetheless. "You got it, Ri-san!"

As Yuuri's figure drifted further away, Yuki went back inside the room and does as she's told. Taking her place beside Yuuta, she held his hand with her own hands in a praying position.

'Everything's going to be fine, right, Megu-nee?'


	20. Chapter 20: Choices, Desicions

Chapter 20 - Choices, Decisions

Entering the bedroom, Miki went to where her sword laid. Grabbing a small waist pouch, she fastened it around her waist and inserted inside the pocket her CD player. She was about to exit the room when her sight landed on Taroumaru's collar in front of his sleeping place.

'Taroumaru…' she thought sadly. Shaking her head to clear any disturbing thoughts, she stepped out of the room but before she could take another step, she saw at the end of the hall, an undead shuffling slowly to her direction. Surprised and scared at its sudden appearance, she retreated towards the bedroom, closing the door and locking it. A minute after, two of the undead arrive at the door, likely attracted to the light and started pounding on it.

Startled, Miki sat as far away as possible from the entrance, clutching the sword that Yuuta had given her.

* * *

Meanwhile, at another place, Yuuri had arrived at the room where Kurumi is currently staying in. Sliding the door open, she entered before closing the door behind her, remembering to lock the door as she did so.

"Kurumi…" she called to her friend who just sat on the floor, her back against the wall and her face covered by her legs.

Passing the shovel which lay next to the door, Yuuri went to sit beside Kurumi. Stroking her hair, she asked her. "Kurumi, what's wrong? You're not usually this emotional."

"Ri-san…" Kurumi lifted her head a bit and Yuuri could see tears at the corner of her eyes. "I… I don't know what to do," she confessed. "Yuuta… he, he's like that because of me. It's all my fault. And I was about to k-kill him," tears started forming in her eyes again. "I… I'm terrible!"

Watching Kurumi bawling her eyes out, Yuuri stroked her back to comfort her though she also doesn't know how to deal with this situation.

*bang* *bang*

Yuuri jolted in surprise at the sound. Looking at the door, she saw through the translucent door window a figure behind the door. Her eyes widened in fear and she was grateful that she remembered to lock the door earlier.

Kurumi still crying in her arms and the undead hitting the door, Yuuri's mind couldn't think of anything and she became scared. Instinctively, she hugged Kurumi's body to calm herself and Kurumi down.

* * *

"Ergh…"

Yuuta groaned in pain as he still struggles futilely to rid his body and soul from the foreign substance that had invaded it. Opening his eyes, he saw Yuki sitting beside him with his left hand clasped firmly in her hands. He tried to move his right hand but noticed that it was chained with some handcuffs along with his right leg.

"Yuki…" slowly, Yuuta spoke to attract Yuki's attention to him.

Yuki immediately opened her eyes and stared at Yuuta, a look of relief in those pink orbs of hers. "Yuu-kun! You're awake! Thank goodness, I was starting to get worried you know," she exclaimed.

"Yeah, sorry…" Yuuta replied but before he could say anymore, he felt a sudden urge in his body to bite her. The urge only lasted for a second but he knew that it was really dangerous and that was only the beginning. Trying to regain control of his mind and body again, he said to Yuki.

"Yuki… listen to me," she perked her ears up to hear what he's about to say. "Bring my sword here."

Looking a little confused, Yuki asked. "Is that all?"

Yuuta nodded, and Yuki stood up to get his sword that was placed on the table of the clubroom. Picking it up, she turned and faces Yuuta but was shocked when he suddenly screamed.

"AAAHHH!"

Rushing to his side quickly, Yuki dropped the sword beside her and held Yuuta's hand. "Yuu-kun, what's wrong?!"

Still screaming, Yuki placed her hand on Yuuta's forehead but pulled back immediately when she felt how hot his temperature was. Removing the cloth from his head, she wetted it with the water she boiled earlier and placed it back on Yuuta's face.

Standing up, Yuki informed him. "Wait a minute, Yuu-kun. I'm going to call Ri-san."

She was about to unlock the door but Yuuta called her. "Yuki, no. It's too dangerous outside."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Yuki inquired before she heard a loud pounding on the door. "Who's there?" she asked the figure outside.

"Don't open it!" yelled Yuuta. "Whatever you do, don't open it until you're sure it's the other girls!"

Yuki looked quizzically at him but then the pounding grew louder in volume and she started feeling scared. Walking towards the couch, she settled down beside Yuuta.

Hearing her sitting down, Yuuta spoke to her. "Good, you didn't open it. Hah, I'm glad," he breathed in relief, though his condition made it sound as if he's still groaning in pain. "Did you bring the sword, Yuki?"

Lifting the sword so Yuuta could see it, Yuki replied. "Yes, but why do you want it, Yuu-kun?"

"I-" he wanted to speak but the urge arose again, stronger this time and he took several seconds along with most of his inner strength before he managed to restrain it. Breathing raggedly, he turned to his companion.

"Listen carefully, Yuki," she moved closer to hear what he has to say. "I want… you to… use the sword… and… kill me…"

"Hai…?"

* * *

Sitting with her back facing the windows, Miki stayed perfectly still in her place. The undeads still pounding at the door, suddenly, the lights inside the room were turned off, the result of having the power source disrupted and tempered with by the undeads on the roof.

Looking through the glass at the door, she observed that the pounding had stopped and the figures no longer outside the room. She breathed in relief before contemplating on the situation.

'At this rate… Yuuta-senpai will…' she thought inside. 'That's right… I need to get the medicine,' she remembered her original task. 'Medicine. If it works on humans, maybe Taroumaru can also be…' with hope in her heart, she stood up and went towards the entrance.

Sliding the door open slowly and cautiously, she noted that the undeads have indeed moved away from the room. Likely it was because the lights were no longer on inside it, Miki concluded.

Running along the hallways, she encountered a lone undead in her path.

"HIAAH!"

Shouting, Miki unsheathed her sword and delivered a slash to the undead's neck. Opening her eyes, she looked at her first strike but was surprised that the sword didn't manage to decapitate the being completely. Instead, the blade was stuck halfway through its neck.

"No way…" she exclaimed in disbelief but quickly proceeded away from the undead, continuing her quest.

'I didn't know it was this hard…' said Miki in her mind. 'And Yuuta-senpai made it seem so easy, too…' she recalled when Yuuta almost effortlessly sliced the horde of undead on his first day meeting them.

Descending down the school stairs, Miki found that the lower staircase was crawling with the undeads. Retreating, she turned to her right to find another way down but discovered that the path was blocked by the barricade, and at the other end was a large group of the beings, trying to get past the wall.

Looking backwards proved equally futile as the undeads that were following the sounds she made was closing in on her. Her hand touched her waist pouch and she took out the CD player stored inside it.

'Please, help me… Kei.'

Letting the device play a song, Miki climbed the wall of desks and placed the player above the barricade. Jumping down, she then hides inside the classroom next to her.

The undeads, as Miki planned, were attracted by the music and shuffled slowly towards the source, trying to get their hands on it.

After confirming that most of the beings in the hallway were paying attention to the sound, Miki came out of the classroom and out into the corridor. However, she didn't notice a lone undead still in front of her and was so surprised that she stumbled backwards and fell butt-first on the floor.

The single undead getting closer to her, she recited in her head. 'Stay calm, but hurry!' using her sword, she cut the undead's left foot and it fell on the ground.

'Don't panic, but hurry!' she recited again, rising up and sprinting down to the second basement floor.

* * *

Yuuri held the still sobbing Kurumi in her arms, her composure returned a little that the powers being cut off didn't shock her. Staring at the entrance door, she wondered about how Yuki is faring and whether it really is safe leaving her with Yuuta alone in the clubroom.

"Ri-san…" hearing Kurumi's voice, Yuuri looked beside her and saw that Kurumi had ceased her cries, although traces of her tears could still be seen and her face still had a miserable expression.

"What is it, Kurumi?" asked Yuuri with a gentle tone.

"Am I a bad friend?"

Her question surprised Yuuri, but she kept her voice straight and answered honestly. "Of course not. You're a wonderful person. What made you think like that?"

Sobbing a little, Kurumi spoke. "I mean, I tried to kill Yuuta, and I even killed the boy I liked. Guess that makes me a bad girlfriend too, right?"

"That was necessary," stated Yuuri. "You did it to protect yourself and no one blamed you for that."

Kurumi let out a chuckle. "Yeah, that's what Yuuta said too," she turned her face away from Yuuri. "He didn't even get mad at me for killing his best friend. What a nice guy he is."

"His… best friend?" Yuuri repeated the word. "You mean that…"

"The guy that was my boyfriend is a best friend of Yuuta?" Kurumi said without turning her head. "Yes, that's right. They're friends, along with another popular guy in our school that I forgot his name."

"How do you know?"

"I spoke to him on his second night here. But he mistakenly thought that I was going to confess to him," Kurumi chuckled as she remembered the memory. "Still, he looked quite cool when he forgave me that I briefly saw a hint of Subaru-kun in him."

Yuuri smiled as Kurumi seemed to recover little by little from her breakdown earlier. "You do know that he's taken by Yuki-chan, right?"

"I know, I know. But they're being so oblivious to each other's feelings that it's starting to get annoying when watching them," replied Kurumi. "I just wish that the both of them get together soon, as nothing's more interesting than young love. Don't you agree, Ri-san?"

Letting a small giggle, Yuuri answered her question. "My my, you took the words out of my mouth, Kurumi." Her face then returned to its solemn look. "I do hope that Miki-san came back safely, though."

Kurumi looks confused about her concern. "Huh? What about Miki?"

"She went to the emergency evacuation shelter to find some medicine that could cure Yuuta-kun," informed Yuuri. "If I'm right, she should have arrived at the place this moment."

* * *

"W-What d-do you mean, Yuu-kun?" asked Yuki at the still bounded Yuuta. "Did you slip your tongue or something? Ha ha ha." Even though she was laughing, Yuuta observed that her body was trembling. "You shouldn't joke like that, you know. It's not funny at all."

"Yuki…" in his pain, Yuuta said the name of his companion. "I'm not joking. This is serious," he stared at her with undaunting eyes, and also through the blurriness that had appeared in his vision. "It's okay."

Yuki looked at him, disbelief and fear in her eyes. Slowly, a suppressed memory began to resurface in her mind. "N-No…" the lights in the room suddenly disappeared, surprising her a bit. "That's horrible. How could you say that, Yuu-kun."

With laboured breaths, Yuuta spoke again. "There is no time, Yuki. Hurry before-" he was about to add further but what could only be described as a shock coursed through his body, resulting in pain erupting in every section of his flesh.

"AAAARRRGGGGHHHH!"

Releasing an ungodly scream, Yuuta trashed his body around, the pain finally too overbearing even for him. Moving his limbs atop the couch, his body tried to rise from its position. It was as if it had a mind of its own. Thankfully, the handcuffs halted him from getting away.

"Yuu-kun!" ignoring the danger presented in front of her, Yuki moved closer to Yuuta. "What's wrong! Tell me!" said she as she held his hand again, trying to calm him down from his sudden action.

In the midst of all the pain and horrible feeling he's currently enduring, a thought came into Yuuta's mind.

'Maybe… I should tell her now.'

Turning his head(albeit difficultly) so that he can face Yuki, Yuuta steels his mind and soul to restrain the foreign substance in his body for a moment. Looking at her, he noticed that there were tears at the corner of her eyes.

"Hey…" he spoke to gain her attention.

Yuki opened her eyes and saw Yuuta staring at her, a sad smile adorning his face. "What is it, Yuu-kun?" Yuki inquired with a smile of her own.

"There's something important I have to tell you," although his face had become somewhat pale, Yuki could clearly saw the red colour on his cheeks. "It's very important to me, but it may not be that important to you. Still, could you bear with me for a few seconds?"

Yuki brought Yuuta's hand to her cheek, caressing it. "Of course. What do you want to talk about?"

"Listen. I…"

* * *

Miki ran through the dark corridor, following the trail of blood left by Yuuta to lead her to the place mentioned in the manual she had read. Stopping just as she reached the metal shutters, she took a few seconds to regain her breath.

Looking at the splotches of dark red, she saw that it continued into the opening of the second basement floor. Stooping down to peer inside the place, Miki moved forwards past the desk holding the shutters from coming down.

Stepping into the water that flooded the floor, she proceeds slowly and carefully. Under the dimly light corridor of the place, she could see a figure moving closer and closer to her position. The figure looked like an adult woman and was definitely an undead based on the condition of her body.

Clutching the sword in her hands tightly, she thought about how this being was the one responsible for turning her pup into one of 'them'.

'Taroumaru…' Miki remembered the dog. The sound of splashing water becoming louder, she snapped back to the reality of her situation and retreated.

Turning around, she slides below the shutters and away from the dark figure. Standing up again, Miki observed that the undead had followed her to the metal curtains but couldn't get past the opening due to not knowing to duck down.

"You're Sakura Megumi-sensei, right?" she addressed the corrupted form of the teacher. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Naoki Miki, a new School-Living Club member." The undead clawed at the other side of the barrier but Miki keeps talking. "I've heard a lot about 'Megu-nee' from the others. They talk about how kind and supportive you always were," looking wistfully at the lower half of the undead, she continued. "You didn't want to end up hurting them, right? That's why you've been here… all this time…"

Miki moved forward and placed her right hand on the shutters. "But they're okay now. Yuuri-senpai's always thinking ahead, acting like a big sister to everyone. Kurumi-senpai's very helpful and always there when we need her. Yuki-senpai's constant cheerfulness keeps our spirit up but can be a little too much sometimes. As for Yuuta-senpai… I'm sure you know him. He's our newest member and keeps us safe from any danger. Also, he seems to love Yuki-senpai, though neither of them had realised their mutual feeling yet," she smiled as the scene of Yuuta and Yuki sleeping together with the setting sun behind them entered her mind. "So you don't have to worry about her, she's got a reliable person by her side. Although I must confess, I do get a little jealous of them sometimes."

Turning her attention back towards the metal shutters, she said to the being at the opposite side. "If it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't be here, either. The five of us supports each other, living at school as best as we can. So please…"

A hand grabbed Miki by the leg and she was surprised and scared for a moment. Blinking once, she calmed down and lifted her sword into the air.

"Rest in peace," bringing the sword down, Miki slashed at the undead's neck and separated its head from the body. It then writhed for a second before its movements stopped… forever.

"Warning. Warning." Out of nowhere, the lights in the hallway went off before being turned on again but with a red coloured light. An announcement-like prerecorded voice also spoke through the PA system, echoing in the basement. "Due to loss of power, the shelter has switched to emergency power."

Miki ignored the announcement and rushed into the emergency evacuation shelter. She came to two cabinets placed facing each other with a table and a chair in the middle of them.

"The medicine should be here somewhere," holding the emergency manual, she searched for the location of the aforementioned medicine. Nearing the desk, her eyes fell on the notebook laying on top of it and the contents. Written on it were scribbles and more scribbles but amongst it, she could recognise the names of her upperclassman, namely, 'Yuki', 'Kurumi' and 'Ri'. Beside it was one word, 'live'.

Turning away from the book, her sights caught on a box with 'Medical supplies' written on it.

"Are these handprints…" Miki pondered upon seeing a handprint on the box. Opening it, she saw several smaller box inside the compartment.

"Tranquillizers, antibiotics, experimental vaccine for newly-infected…" she read the titles on each box before realising the last one was what she needed. "This is it! Now we can save Yuuta-senpai," exclaimed Miki in joy. After a moment, she clasped her hands together in respect.

'Sakura-sensei, please help me in saving Yuuta-senpai and the others," she prayed.

* * *

"What?!"

Kurumi's shout echoed inside the room. Standing up and staring at her, Yuuri was surprised at her sudden reaction.

"What do you mean, Kurumi?" Yuuri asked inquisitively. She honestly doesn't know what had gotten into her companion all of a sudden. "What's wrong with what I had just said?"

"So there really is a cure, or at least there's the possibility of it," murmured Kurumi to herself while looking away from Yuuri. "Tell me, Ri-san," she turned back to face her. "Are you sure that the evacuation shelter contains a cure for Yuuta?"

"W-Well…" Yuuri averted her eyes. "I don't know. Miki-san said that there should be some medicine and potentially a cure for Yuuta-kun down in the shelter, but I'm not convinced myself."

"And yet you send her down there," Kurumi's voice almost sound accusing to Yuuri. "You tasked our underclassman to a quest in the middle of this situation," she gestured at the window, currently showing a large number of undeads invading the school. "Really, and I thought you're more rational than all of us, Ri-san."

Alright, it definitely is accusing at this point. "I don't have a choice, you know!" screamed Yuuri. "She's the one who asked for it! I tried to convince her otherwise her otherwise but she insisted in her decision," rising from her sitting position, she then pointed her index finger at Kurumi. "You were sulking here, Yuuta-kun became like that, and I don't have anyone else to send but her! What do you expect me to do!?" After yelling that, her legs buckled under her and she collapsed onto the floor. "I don't know what to do myself anymore."

Covering her face with her hands, tears started to flow from her eyes. Yuuri just sat there until she heard the sound of Kurumi walking away from her. Moving her hands, she saw Kurumi picking back her shovel and marching to the door.

"Wait, Kurumi," she called. "Where are you going?"

Turning her body around, she gave Yuuri a smile along with a short answer.

"There's something I've got to do."

* * *

"Listen. I…" Yuuta was about to speak his heart out, but sadly, fate does not work according to his whims.

*cough cough*

He coughed, but along with the cough came blood, which splattered on the blanket covering his body. Irritated that he had been interrupted with what was quite possibly his last chance of love, he tried to speak again, only to feel the sensation again.

"HHHRRRGGGHHH!"

It had come again, definitely stronger than last time and he knew that he would not last through this one. He could sense it in his mind, his body, and his soul. The invading virus/substance/whatever was taking control of his body and moving it against his will. Rapidly, he began to lose all senses from his right arm, following that was his lower half which included both of his legs. Slowly, it crept through the entirety of his flesh until he could only feel the sensation from his left hand, still held tightly by Yuki, and his sense of sight and hearing.

Glancing at Yuki's face, he gestured with his eyes for her to take his sword. Then, he uses the last of his remaining will to push her away from him coupled with a warning.

"Get away from me!"

The force behind the shove sends Yuki flying to the other side of the room.

"Oww… that hurts, Yuu-kun. What was that for?" questioned Yuki as she rubbed the back of her head. Raising her face to scold at Yuuta, what she saw was a scene that terrified her almost to death.

Yuuta was groaning now, not from pain, but from madness. His body struggling against the handcuffs, along with the way the blanket moves and the low lighting inside the room, only served to further scare Yuki.

Clutching Yuuta's sword, Yuki closed her eyes as if the situation was just her delusion and hoping that she could wake up from this terrible nightmare.

Unfortunately, this is no imagination. This is reality.

And then she heard it. The sound of something snapping and the sudden quietness prompted her to open her eyes to assess the situation. What she saw, however, was enough to make her a trembling wreck.

Across her position, the corrupted form of Yuuta slowly rises from the couch. The handcuffs placed on his right wrist and ankle actually broke due to the pressure he afflicted.

Having succeeded in standing up, the figure turned its head around to observe the room before landing on Yuki. Lifting its arms, it began marching very slowly towards her.

* * *

Miki ran along the emergency-light lit corridor of the shelter. Having acquired the vaccine, she quickly ran in the hopes of administering the cure to Yuuta as soon as possible.

'No,' unfortunately, she encountered a large horde of the undead currently blocking her way to the exit.

'There's no time for this,' turning back around, she ran to the opposite direction but came to a halt when one of the rooms opened, revealing another group of undead.

Retreating from that group, her back hit a door and she immediately twists the doorknob, only to catch a glimpse of a small animal running out of it.

"Was that…" she wondered upon the being before realising her dire situation. Entering the room, she closed the door and piled several boxes to hold the door shut.

'If I don't get the medicine to him soon, Yuuta-senpai will…' Miki voices inside her head. 'Isn't there any way out?' observing the interior, she found it devoid of any other openings to escape. 'It's just like in that room…' she contemplated on her surrounding. An impact from behind caused her to push the boxes to prevent the undeads from entering. 'Why?' she asked herself. 'I thought I escaped from there. Is this where it ends? Am I going to die alone in a room like this after all?' despair started to sink into her heart. 'No way out, no sign of help coming… Just like in that mall.'

'No!' Miki shouted in her mind. 'Yuuta-senpai is counting on me. Same with Yuuri-senpai, Yuki-senpai and Kurumi-senpai. Even Taroumaru.' The pounding became stronger but she held her ground. 'I won't let their trust to be in vain. I will save them,' reaching for her sword, she drew the blade and jumped away just as the door was forcefully opened.

"Bring it on!"

* * *

"What… what do you have to do?" asked Yuuri to Kurumi.

Drawing a deep breath, she replied. "I'm going to the basement again."

"What!?" Yuuri exclaimed. "That's suicide! Not counting Megu-nee's body in there, the's simply too many undead in the school right now. You'll be in much danger!"

"I know."

"Then why?"

"Because I've promised to Yuuta," answered Kurumi. "I've made a promise to him that I will do anything and everything to save him if there's a way to cure him. I'll keep that promise because I'm sure that he will do the same thing if I was the one who got bitten instead."

"But!" Yuuri protested, but Kurumi silenced her.

"You can't change my mind, Ri-san. After all," she turned around to face her. "I can't leave our precious kouhai alone, can't I? I've got to show my responsible side sometimes."

Hearing those words, Yuuri dropped her head, unable to think of anything to dissuade Kurumi. Lifting her head back, she gave a fake smile to hide her sadness. "Then, please save her."

"Of course," straightening her body, she gave a salute to Yuuri. "Ebisuzawa Kurumi, heading out!"

Yuuri watched as Kurumi opened the door and jumped to the hallway. She quickly closed the door and locked it. After that, she walked to the opposite end of the room and sat on the floor, her face hidden by her legs as tears began dripping from her eyes.

* * *

Yuki stared at the figure of her club member and love crush slowly advancing towards her. Her feet stuck to the ground, she was frozen with fear.

"Yuu-kun…"

Even so, she still managed to utter his name under her breath. However, the figure didn't respond to her calling and kept walking.

"Yuu-kun, wake up!"

She shouted. Again, no reaction from it. Her whole body was shaking considerably now that the blade of Yuuta's sword came off from its scabbard.

Crouching down to pick the now unsheathed sword, she called for her teacher.

"M-Megu-nee, w-what should I do?" she said. "Yuu-kun… he's… I don't know what I should do?"

Then, she heard a feminine giggle from behind her. "Yuki-chan, I don't know myself," the voice admitted. "Peoples do things that they think should be done, but not every one of them is completely right. What you should ask yourself is what you _want_ to do, not what you should do."

"What I want to do?" Yuki repeated.

"Yes. What do _you_ want to do, Yuki-chan?" asked the voice.

"I… I don't want to kill Yuu-kun!" exclaimed Yuki.

She could hear the voice chuckling. "Then, there is still a chance for you. Follow your heart, it will guide you, Yuki-chan."

"Thank you, Megu-nee," looking ahead, she fixed her eyes on Yuuta's approaching form. "Hang in there, Yuu-kun!" she shouted.

I will save you.


	21. Chapter 21: Resolution

Chapter 21 - Resolution

'So this is how I die, huh?'

Solemnly, Yuuta thought in his mind. 'At the hands of the girl that I like, before I even get to confess my love to her,' he sighed inwardly. 'This must be what Sakaki experienced in his last moments. But at least that guy got to know her girlfriend's feelings beforehand. That lucky bastard.'

Yuuta's body kept moving even as he performed his monologue. From inside his body, he could see what his body sees, hear what it hears and smell what it smells. However, he doesn't have any control of the body and it moved not with thought, but just following blind instinct. It's as if he's looking from the interior of a giant robot as it moves around, destroying anything it finds.

'Ergh…' Yuuta groaned. It was that sensation again. The feeling that he felt earlier when his body controls were locked from him. He could sense it, the whatever-substance was trying to latch itself further onto his soul, the last part of his being that isn't completely corrupted yet.

'Stay away from me!' shouted Yuuta in his spirit form. The 'thing', as he decided to call it, could be seen as a black mass that started growing from his feet, gradually climbing up. It was reaching his knees now, but he strengthened his resolve and thus managed to keep the corruption from spreading onto the other sections… at least for now.

Panting, Yuuta noted that even after being turned into an undead, a person's soul is still trapped inside their own body, unable to be freed and forced to watch as the actions of their uncontrolled body causes suffering to others. The only choice for freedom is to be slain until your body is dead for sure. Only then, can you get your liberation.

Lamenting on that depressing thought, Yuuta looked downwards and saw that the dark substance has rise upwards to his waist. Cursing over his carelessness, he tried to rid his soul again from the foreignness. It didn't work, as evidence from the fact that his spirit form is, waist-down, still covered in the black wrongness.

Yuuta sighed, the growled in anger. It's not that he blamed Kurumi for this situation, Megu-nee for biting him, Taroumaru for going missing in the first place, or any of the girls in the club. He didn't regret meeting them and joining the School-Living Club. They gave him a new goal and purpose in life after all.

No, the one he's angry at is himself. He should be more careful and less reckless in his actions at the basement. His lack of foresight has now caused a problem in the group. To add insult to injury, the school had now been invaded by the horde of undead, if the gloomy atmosphere and violent knocking earlier was any indication. Furthermore, to add another bigger insult to the wound, he's now trapped inside a room with the girl he likes in a situation where he asked her to kill him.

Opening his eyes, Yuuta looked through the eyes of what was once his body. Peering through them, he could see her, Yuki, standing away from him, visibly shaking with fear. He didn't blame her. It was the same reaction he had when he first faced the undeads, his mother and little sister. Speaking of them, he wondered if he would see them again after he's separated from his shell of a body. There's a lot he wants to say to them. The most important is, of course, to say sorry and ask for their forgiveness due to killing their undead body. After that, there are many stories he wanted to tell them, such as his travels during the months he spends in the outside world. Then, his encounter with the girls in the club. He chuckled a bit as he thought about how their reaction would be if he told them that he'd found a girl that he liked and a cute one at that. His mum would most probably smile and say she's happy for him, while Ruiko would undoubtedly begin pestering him about Yuki's appearance, personality, hobbies and other whatnots. Yes, it would be nice if that were to happen.

Looking straight forward, Yuuta saw that her living companion is now holding his sword, its scabbard lying on the floor. Staring at him, even through the blurriness and his dishevelled hair obscuring his view, he could see Yuki with eyes full of resolve and determination. The same kind of look that he recalled Sakaki and Shuuya said he made when he first met Yuki, all those years ago.

'So, this is how I die, huh?' Yuuta repeated his statement earlier. 'Even so, I believe this is for the best. It certainly is much better than endangering the girls' lives.' Internally, he sighed yet again as he resigned himself to this fate. 'I think, the one thing that I truly regret… is that I didn't have a chance to know of Yuki's true feelings for me. Not that it mattered now.'

"Hang in there, Yuu-kun!" suddenly, he heard her voice. His puppet body instinctively lifted its head and arms, marching slightly faster towards the source.

His eyes on Yuki, he's horrified that she still haven't ended his suffering. 'That girl, what is she thinking? Hurry up!' screamed Yuuta at her, though his disembodied voice obviously won't reach her.

Several seconds later, his figure lurched forward, trying to catch and sink its teeth into the pink-haired girl's flesh. Yuuta almost screamed in despair at the action.

Fortunately, Yuki suddenly displayed a surprising degree of agility, dodging to the left and missing the attack. A small part of the boy's mind praised her fast reaction.

"Yuu-kun!" called Yuki. "I know you're in there! You can hear me, right?!"

Oh how Yuuta would like to reply her so badly, but he knew that its impossible for her to hear him. 'Yes, Yuki. I can hear you,' even knowing that he still said internally his answer.

Yuki expected the lack of response, the audible one anyway, so she spoke to him again. "You want me to kill you because you don't want to hurt any of us, am I right?" the question surprised Yuuta, but he nodded in his spirit form. "But… I won't have any of that!" Yuki protested over his decision. "Killing you will only make things worse. Can't you see, everyone here cares about you. Kurumi-chan, Ri-san, Mii-kun, Megu-nee, Taroumaru, all of us don't want you to die. Especially me…" Yuki lowered her head and the sword. "I would be very, very sad if you are gone…" a sobbing sound could be heard from her direction. "I still remember when we first met, you were so cool defending me from those bullies and even willing as far as to fight them for me, a person whom you just met. I think that part is what I like the most about you, and though you may not remember it, I really treasured that memory, albeit I did forget it after a few years. Hehehe."

Yuuta kept quiet through all of this, even if his body is still moving. Disbelieving he was, since he did not expect Yuki to still retain the memory of their forgotten encounter. He also mulled in confusion over Yuki's reason for talking to him when he's certain he's already beyond saving, especially if there is no cure to revert him back to human. Was this some sort of farewell speech?

A few more tears were shed on Yuki's behalf before she lifted her head and revealed her face again. "That's why… that's why… I don't want to kill you. You understand right, Yuu-kun? You're precious to me, and I don't want to lose you or anyone else anymore. I want to be with you… always. Because…"

Suddenly, she surged forward towards Yuuta's figure, the sword still in her hand, Yuki winded her arms around him and screamed onto his chest. "Because I love you, Yuu-kun! I don't want you to leave me!"

Hearing her anguished declaration of love, Yuuta's soul and consciousness were shocked, surprised, stunned and other words that indicate he's not moving.

'She… loves me?'

For a second, his body stopped moving as well and stood still in Yuki's embrace.

That one second was all it needed.

Out of nowhere, a bright white light erupted from the sword tightly held in Yuki's grasp. Its brilliance covered the two before engulfing the entire room in the resulting brightness. Yuuta shielded his soul's eyes while Yuki kept hers closed, hugging her love crush's body.

After a few moments, the light eventually subsided, allowing the vision to be clear again. Despite that, Yuki kept holding Yuuta in her arms, some droplets of tears clearly visible at the corner of her still closed eyes.

"Yuki… you're crushing me, you know."

Immediately, Yuki perked her eyes open, unbelieving of what she just heard. She moved her head upwards, slowly and cautiously, until she was met with the kind face of Yuuta, the deranged look gone from his eyes and instead replaced with a kind smile that made her heart swell with happiness.

"Yuu-kun…?" she spoke after several seconds of staring. "You're… you're back."

"Really?" Yuuta inquired, just as surprised as her. He tried lifting his hand and found that it responded to his command. Next, he blinked once, then twice, before he remarked on the situation. "I can't believe it… I'm… I'm back to normal," he looked at Yuki, then he embraced her tightly, slightly lifting her body a bit off the ground and dropping the sword in the process.

"Yuki, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" tears were flowing from his eyes. "I don't know how it happened, but I owe my life to you," when he finally released Yuki from the hug, Yuuta bowed at her. "Again Yuki, thank you."

Hearing Yuuta voicing his honest feelings of gratification, Yuki was taken aback. Truthfully, she didn't expect her actions to succeed in reverting back Yuuta to his human form, but nevertheless, she's happy that her love has returned. "It's nothing, Yuu-kun. I'm just glad you're back."

"Never been gladder to be back," replied Yuuta. Noticing his sword lying on the ground, he crouched down to pick it up. When he did that, he could feel… something flowing inside him. It's not a foreign substance like the undead virus, but more like something pleasant, pure and comforting, the opposite of what he felt earlier with the disgusting, corrupt and uncomfortable substance. Mentally, he noted this down in his mind as another clue in his pursuit for the answer to his family blade's curiosity.

As Yuuta spends his time thinking about the mystery literally in his hands, Yuki just looked at him, content just by being with him in this room, isolated from all the chaos outside. However, she knew that the calmness they're having will not last forever and it will end sooner or later unless something is done to the remaining undeads still in the school.

And so, she consulted her teacher for any suggestion. "Ne, Megu-nee. What should I do now? The others… they're still in danger, right. How can I save the School-Living Club?"

"I think you should head for the broadcasting room," came the response.

"The broadcasting room?"

"Then you can save the club… No, you may be able to save everyone," said her teacher. "As long as you believe in yourself, you can do anything. At least, that's what I think."

"Okay, got it!" exclaimed Yuki.

At that time, Yuuta had finished contemplating on the enigma in his possession and was grabbing one of his clean shirt placed conveniently next to to the couch. Standing up, he turned to face Yuki when he heard her voice. "What is it, Yuki?"

"Yuu-kun, I have a way to save everyone. W-will you help me?" she asked, a little uncertain on his response.

"Of course," but her uncertainty is a moot point as Yuuta agreed on it immediately without hesitation. "I've said this earlier, right," he held Yuki's hand. "My life is now yours."

"Thanks!"

"But first, we probably should get to Kurumi and Ri-san first," proposed Yuuta. "It's much safer if we're in bigger numbers."

"Okay, let's get to them now!" shouted Yuki.

Standing in front of the entrance, Yuuta held his sword in one hand with the other hand holding Yuki's own. "Stay close behind me, okay?"

"Yeah!"

And so, they opened the door and stepped into the world outside.

* * *

'Damn it! Is this my limit?'

Miki asked the question to herself as she proceeds to slash at another approaching undead. Its head decapitated, it joined others of its kind in the pile surrounding Miki.

Panting hard, Miki wiped the sweat that had accumulated on his face. The sword still in her hands, she's been holding her fort quite nicely on her own, but alas, the fatigue had begun to sink in. The large horde of undead crowding into the room attracted to the light underground didn't help either. They are perilous to face with and truly unstoppable, unending in their drive for her flesh.

Leaning her back towards the rack in the room, Miki tried to find an opening to escape from. However, she could see none of them among the undead figures of the once students of the school.

'This is pointless,' she commented. 'There's no way out from here. The more I cut, the more they come. Is this really all I have? In the end, I'm just a weak person after all.'

Lowering her hands, she finally let the despair sink into her heart as her resolve decreases quickly. 'Yuuta-senpai, Yuki-senpai, Kurumi-senpai, Yuuri-senpai… I'm sorry. I can't do it alone like this. Please help me…'

The undeads approached her slowly, intent on devouring her flesh or turning her into one of them. Closer and closer they came, until Miki heard a voice.

"Miki!"

The girl immediately lifted her head up, just in time to see the form of her purple-haired upperclassman jumping on the head of the undeads before landing next to her. "Hey, sorry to keep you waiting."

Tears formed in her eyes upon seeing Kurumi. "You're late, senpai," Miki remarked as she wiped away the droplets. "I was having a hard time here, you know."

"Yeah, sorry about that but I'm okay now," she replied with her usual tone. "So, you got the antidote?"

"Yes, I've got it with me," Miki gestured to the small backpack on her back. "But, why are you here, Kurumi-senpai?"

Kurumi scratched her cheek as she casually smacked an undead in the face with her shovel. "Well, I've come to get the antidote too of course. I've made a promise with Yuuta that I would do everything in my power to find a way to revert him back if he happens to turn into one of these beings," again, she kicked an undead into the direction of its other kind. "So, here I am, trying to make good of my promise. Also, I can't let my precious kouhai all alone down here, am I right?"

"Senpai…" uttered Miki in happiness.

"Anyway, let's bust out of here and save Yuuta, shall we?" stated Kurumi with a grin.

"Hai!"

* * *

Inside one of the empty rooms, Yuuri sat on the floor. Her face was obscured by her bangs and she was closing her ears with her hands.

Meanwhile, at the entrance, the undeads kept pounding on the door, intent on breaking it and invading the room. The wooden door shook considerably whenever the impact hit.

Her hands still holding her head, Yuuri shook her head as tears started dripping from her eyes. "Help me… someone… anyone…" she begged.

Lifting her head, her eyes widened in fear when the door opposite of her began getting loose around the seams. The moans of the undeads outside didn't help her fragile state of mind either. She curled her body and lay on the floor, hoping that they would go away.

"HIIAAAAHHHHH!"

Suddenly, she heard a loud scream coming from behind the door.

"Ri-san! Kurumi-chan!"

Then, another familiar voice was heard. Briefly, she considered if she was hallucinating about the sound but it spoke again.

"Hey! If you're in there open up!"

Immediately, Yuuri got up to her feet and went towards the entrance. Unlocking the door, two figures entered the room before she closed it again.

"Phew, that was close. Good thing we found where the room was," said the male figure.

"Yeah, I was worried that something happened to them. Wait a second, where's Kurumi-chan?" exclaimed the female one.

"Y-Yuuta-kun… Y-Yuki-chan… is that really you?" asked Yuuri in disbelief over the unexpected appearance of her club members. Especially Yuuta.

"Yes, this is us. What, you don't recognise us anymore?" Yuuta said to her with a look of mock disappointment.

"That's no good, Ri-san. As the club president, you should take notice of the peoples in your club," and for some reason, Yuki decided to play along.

Yuuri just stated at them, still confused over the situation. Here, there's Yuuta that's definitely still human and hasn't turned into an undead. Then, there's Yuki who's standing beside him. Oh, and they're holding hands.

"Yuuta-kun, you're… you're fine? You didn't turn into one of them?" but firstly, Yuuri asked the most obvious question to the only male member in the club.

Yuuta nodded and explained to her. "Yes, I think I'm mostly cured. I don't know how it happened but I'm not turning into an undead anytime soon," at the end of the sentence, Yuuri noticed that his right eye twitched as if holding something back.

"Yup, all thanks to me!" Yuki stated proudly. "But aside from that, where's Kurumi-chan? She's supposed to be with you right, Ri-san?"

"Ah, Kurumi said she's going back to the basement to rescue Miki-san," answered Yuuri.

"Why would Miki head down there?" Yuuta inquired.

"She read the manual once again and found out that there could possibly be a cure for you in the shelter. That's why she took upon herself to get it. Later, Kurumi went after her to help," informed Yuuri.

Yuuta suddenly grabbed Yuuri's shoulders and spoke to her. "Is that true, Ri-san? That there's an antidote for this virus."

Yuuri was surprised but managed to answer him. "I don't know myself, but it is possible there is one in the basement," she then glanced away from Yuuta. But before she did, she could see a glint of darkness in his blue eyes. "Ehem ehem, that matter aside, why are you here, Yuki-chan?"

"Ah, that's right," Yuki recalled what her purpose was. "I have a way to save everyone in the school. That's why I'm wondering if you would like to join us."

Yuuri didn't know what to say. Her mind debated on whether she should follow them or stay behind in the room. The former could be really dangerous since Yuuta would have to defend two persons and also himself. The latter is the safest choice, but choosing it would mean that she would be alone again and without any means to know if her friends were in danger or not.

After a minute of weighing down her options, she stated her response. "I'll come with you, Yuki-chan. It's just like you say, I'm the club president so I have to take notice of my club member's wellbeing."

"Yosh, it's set then!" Yuki pumped her fist into the air. "Now, let's a go!"

Yuuta followed behind her, but then sensed a tension on his shirt. Turning his head, he saw Yuuri clutching the back side of his upper wear. "What is it, Ri-san?"

"Is… is it really safe for us to go out there?" she asked, uncertainty in her voice. "What if something happened to us? What would we do?"

He removed her hand from his shirt and held it tightly. "You don't have to worry about that. I will protect you both, even if it'll kill me. And even if I'm not there, you can always count on Yuki. She's more reliable than you think."

The statement calmed Yuuri's nerve a little, though she's still understandably scared. Even so, she marched to the door and held Yuki's left hand. Before Yuuta opened the door, Yuki remembered a crucial detail and said to them.

"We're going to the broadcasting room by the way."

* * *

The path to the broadcasting room was not so easy. There were some undeads loitering about in the place but nothing that Yuuta can't handle. Running along while holding hands to prevent then from being separated, the three reached a door that was blocking their way.

Looking at the door, a locked memory began to resurface inside Yuki's mind. Letting go of her two companions, she rushed to the door when she heard her teacher's voice calling for her.

"Megu-nee," pressing her ears to the door, she listened for Megu-nee's voice.

"You're almost to the broadcasting room. Are you okay? Are you scared?" she asked.

"I'm really scared. But I've kept my eyes closed to the scary things all the time, and had the others take care of the hard stuff. I don't think I can do that anymore," confessed Yuki. "Or I'll lose everything that's important to me. That scares me a lot more."

"I see. That means you've recognised the important things in your life, am I right?" came the gentle voice of her teacher. "I'm happy for you, I really am. But above anything else, I hope that, no matter what, you always remember to smile, Yuki-chan. If you do that, then I'll always be watching over you."

Beside her, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Glancing to the side, she saw Yuuta also placing a hand on the door as if he's also speaking to the teacher.

"Megu-nee," he spoke. "I promise you this. I will protect everyone, so you don't have to worry about them. So…"

"Thank you, Yuuta-san. I feel safe entrusting them to you," although he couldn't hear her, Yuuta could feel the presence and her message. "Yuki-chan," she then addressed Yuki. "I'm so glad I got to be your teacher."

With those words, Megu-nee's voice disappeared. Yuki quickly opened the door, only to find nobody in the halls. Tears accumulated in her eyes until they fell.

"Yuki-chan…" Yuuri then proceeded to hug Yuki's body to calm her down. "Let's continue, shall we?"

"Yeah," she nodded. Under her breath, she whispered. "Bye bye, Megu-nee."

The trio then resumed their journey. Along the way, Yuuta felt it again, a stinging sensation in his heart and the cause of his eye twitching. However, he tried to hide his pain so as not to worry the two girls.

After running for some minutes and bypassing the undeads loitering in their way, the group finally caught sight of the broadcasting room. Unfortunately, there were several more of the beings blocking the path to their destination.

*slash*

Even with the pain in his body, Yuuta still managed to swing his sword and effortlessly keep his companions from harm. Rushing forward, he removed any of the undead standing in front of the room, clearing a path for them to enter.

"Hurry!" he shouted to the other two.

Yuki and Yuuri hurried to his position. They ran in the empty space between the undeads created by Yuuta. However, one of them caught Yuki by her bag and she was pulled backwards.

"Yuki-chan!" Yuuri turned to her. She was about to help Yuki when someone rushed beside her.

"I'll help her. Ri-san, get inside the room, now!" said Yuuta as he proceeded to the place Yuki was pulled. Yuuri nodded and went inside the broadcasting room, closing it after she entered.

"Oww…" Yuki groaned when she fell on the floor. Rubbing her head, she opened her eyes and was scared because all around her, there were undeads staring at her with opened mouths and dark eyes. As they close in, she became more afraid and trembled in fear.

"Yuki!" then, she heard a voice calling for her. Of course, she knew it to be Yuuta's since only he would call her with such emotion.

"Yuu-kun!" she responded with shouting his name too. Between the undeads, she could see him desperately coming to save her. She felt glad and her worries lifted a little.

"Aagh!" suddenly, Yuuta tripped on his feet, falling face first on the floor. He then clutched his heart, the cause of his fall being the increasing pain inside his body. The sensation resulted in his vision and coordination to fall for a few seconds. 'What's this?' he thought to himself. 'I thought I was back to normal, so what's wrong. I don't feel anything corrupting my soul, but my body… it still hurts. Don't tell me, only my soul was purified but my body is still under the effect of the virus?!' hypothesised Yuuta.

He tried lifting himself from the floor but his body felt weak, and he felt weaker with each passing second. Using his sword to lever his body up, he took a look at Yuki. Surrounded by the undeads, he could see her terrified face as those corrupted souls in a body moved to grab her.

"Y-Yuki…" weakly, Yuuta called for his companion's name. His legs were wobbly and the strength to move was slowly drained from his body. His heart darkened when he heard Yuki's scream for help. It seemed all was loss for the two.

*woof woof*

Then, out of nowhere, a brown figure flashed before his eyes.

*Grr*

The brown figure was small but it proceeded to pounce on the undead that was holding Yuki, sending it crashing down and directing the attention of the others to itself.

"Taroumaru…" Yuki said as she realised the identity of the small figure. The dog in question turned to face her and growled, his teeth baring at her direction.

Yuki was understandably scared, not knowing what to do with him. Then, she got an idea. Removing her bag, she opened the zippers and showed the inside to the club pet. "Come on here, Taroumaru. You're a good boy, right."

The pup barked once before jumping into the innard of Yuki's bag. Getting inside the space, he struggled about in her laps.

"You do remember us, don't you?" spoke Yuki to him. "What an awful wound… you've been bitten," she said as she stroked his body where the bite wound was still present. "And you feel so cold…" Yuki hugged the dog. "I'm so sorry… I can't help you."

Looking at the two, Yuuta sighed at himself. "Heh, what am I doing here? Even Taroumaru managed to hold back his undead instincts to save Yuki, and he's not a human. Am I really thinking of giving up earlier? I'm utterly disappointed in myself. However, it's still not the end. Taroumaru, I'll make good use from your actions."

As Yuki hugged the still struggling Taroumaru, another undead approached her. Stretching its arm, it was cut by a blade slashing through the air.

Opening her eyes once more, behold in front of her the sight that she's seen for many times already, but it still served to amaze her. His sword in his hands, Yuuta stood valiantly protecting Yuki from any other attacks.

"Grab him and enter the room, Yuki," he spoke. "I'll cover you."

Yuki nodded and get back on her feet. Clutching her bag, she ran to the broadcasting room as fast as she can. Following behind her, Yuuta sliced away any of the undeads that came near.

Arriving in front of the room, Yuki opened the door and was greeted with Yuuri's relieved expression. Entering the room, the door was suddenly shut behind her.

"Eh?" turning back around, she noticed that Yuuta was not in the room.

He's still outside.

"Yuu-kun!" Yuki shouted as she went to the door, depositing her bag on the floor. "Get inside here! Why are you still outside?" she tried opening the door but it won't budge. "Hey, Yuu-kun!"

Outside the room, Yuuta slashed at another nearby undead. His back to the door frame that he stuck with a broomstick a few seconds ago, he replied to the person behind the door. "Don't open it, Yuki. I'll stay here until the situation is resolved. You don't have to worry about me either, I'll be fine," even though he says that his senses were growing numb and he already couldn't feel anything down from his knees. "Do what you have to, I'll protect you."

"No!" said Yuki. "Don't leave me, Yuu-kun! I need you here. I can't do anything by myself…" a single tear fell from her left eye. "Yuu-kun…"

"Of course you can," came the response from outside. "Hear me, Yuki. You're stronger than you let yourself be, you just didn't realise it. After all, you succeeded in saving me, and that's a very big accomplishment for me," then, his tone went lower. "To tell you the truth, I was really scared earlier. I was afraid that I'll hurt you that the only thing preventing me from fully becoming like them was the thought about you. Even when my body was moving by itself, it still remembers your voice, your aura, your smell and your cheerfulness. All that memory is what saved me and brought my body back to realisation. And now, you must do the same for everyone else. Remind them of what they loved, the reason why they always come back here and bring peace to their souls. I'm sure you can do it Yuki because I believe in you."

Yuki was taken aback by Yuuta's words but she acknowledged the truth in them. "Alright, Yuu-kun. I'll do my best." wiping the tears on her cheeks, she moved away from the door and towards the PA system.

"Yuki-chan, I've turned it on. You want to use it, right?" Yuuri asked.

"Yes. Can you keep Taroumaru in somewhere safe for a while, Ri-san? I don't want him to get hurt," Yuki grabbed the moving bag that contains Taroumaru and gave it to her.

Staring at the bag, Yuuri was scared but tried to not let it show. "You can leave him to me, Yuki-chan. Now, go save everyone."

"Thank you," standing in front of the microphone, Yuki tapped on it a little for a test. Taking a deep breath, she brought her mouth close to the equipment.

"School is now closed for the day," she began. "Any students still on the grounds, please return home right away."

In the basement, Kurumi and Miki paused from their attacks and listened to the voice.

"That voice… it's Yuki-senpai, right?" asked Miki.

"You're right. What is she doing?" Kurumi said, confused.

"Do you love the school?" Yuki continued. "I do. You might say it's weird, but the school is an incredible place. The physics lab has all those weird tools… The music room has all those beautiful instruments and intimidating portraits… And in the broadcasting room, the whole school's your stage. It's got everything. It's like a country of its own! There's no other single building as strange as this. I love it. I hate studying, but I like my teachers. When I forget my homework, they show me how to do it. I doze in class and get scolded. I make friends with my classmates. I get into fights. I fell in love. Sometimes we're together. Sometimes I'm alone. Sometimes there's just the two of us. There are fun times, sad times… So many of them… and that's why… I love this school."

Kurumi and Miki watched in amazement as the undeads that were previously attacking them slowly retreated and exited the room.

"And you all love it too, right? You'll always, always love it. That's why you're here, right?" small droplets formed in Yuki's eyes as she resumed. "But like someone once said to me, all good things must come to an end. It's sad that nothing can last forever but when that happens, all you need is to find other good things to do. If you search hard enough, I'm sure you can find them. Just like I do."

The school now almost clear of the undeads, Kurumi and Miki rushed through the stairs to get to Yuuta and administer the cure to him. When they reached the clubroom where he's supposed to be, they were surprised that he's not in the room. Then, they searched the school for him until they caught the sight of him just outside the broadcasting room, collapsed on the floor and without any indication of being awake. They rushed to his side just as Yuki concluded her speech.

"So on that note… school is out. I believe we'll meet again someday. But for today, school is over. To everyone still in school… Good day, thank you… Goodbye."

"See you tomorrow."


	22. Chapter 22: End of the Beginning

Chapter 22 - End of the Beginning

The Sun's rays shone into a room in the school. Inside it, five individuals were sleeping, exhausted from the events of yesterday.

One of the individuals, the only male in the room, opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling, mildly dazed over the situation. Lifting the upper half of his body from the couch he's lying at, he took notice of the fact that his right hand was tightly held by another member in the room. Her hair was pink-coloured and she seemed to be sleeping with her head placed on his body. Her face looked so peaceful that he almost didn't want to wake her up, content just with staring at her figure. Out of habit, he placed his left hand on the girl's head, rubbing on it a little.

A short distance from the two, three other girls were also fast asleep with their backs against some boxes. The one with brown hair sat in the middle, at her sides were a purple-haired girl and a white-haired girl, both with their heads on her shoulders. The white-coloured one then winced in annoyance as some locks of hair from the middle girl tickled her nose. Opening her eyes, she rubbed them to get any sleep out. Observing the room, she saw the male one already awake and her heart was filled with happiness upon seeing him.

"Yuuta-senpai!" she exclaimed. The other two beside her immediately moved in their sleep due to her shout. Looking wildly around them for a few seconds, their sights eventually fell on the person sitting on the couch.

"Yuuta!" "Yuuta-kun!" both of them also said his name in relief. The purple-haired one and the girl with the white hair then rushed to his side, the person with brown hair staying behind.

"Kurumi, Miki, Ri-san, yo," the boy, Yuuta's his name, greeted casually at the three.

"Hey, you all right now?" "Were you hurt anywhere, senpai?" "You gave us a scare you know, fainting in front of the broadcasting room." "Is the vaccine working fine, senpai?"

Question after question was asked by the two, Kurumi and Miki, that Yuuta didn't have a chance to answer them. The girl who was sleeping by his side, her slumber disturbed by the noise, awaken and she blinked twice to register her surroundings. Then, her eyes fell on the person in front of her, Yuuta, also looking at her with the smile that she loves so much.

"Yuu-kun…" she muttered.

"Yes, Yuki," responded Yuuta.

"Yuu-kun…" tears were welling in her eyes now.

"Yuki, good morning."

"Yuu-kun!" screamed Yuki before she lurched towards Yuuta's form. Tears flowed freely from her pink orbs as she cried into his chest. "Welcome back, Yuu-kun," she managed between her sobbing. "I miss you."

"Yeah, I miss you too," patting her back, a single droplet could be seen falling across his cheek.

"Thank goodness, right, Yuuri-senpai?" spoke Miki to the club president.

Yuuri nodded with a smile. "Yes, it's good that everything's fine in the end." The five then heard the sound of an animal coming from inside a box. Written on the outside was 'House of Taroumaru', which pretty much tells you who the occupant is.

"Taroumaru!" Kurumi walked to the storage box. The three others minus Yuuta followed her.

"Ri-san, Taroumaru's going to be okay too, right? Right?" asked Yuki.

Yuuri averted her eyes from Yuki's gaze. "I gave him the vaccine, but his symptoms might have progressed too far already," she answered.

"Taroumaru?" Miki called out the pup's name. The dog proceeded to stand up but with very much difficulty. "Do you recognise me?" He then tried jumping out of the box. "No, don't! You shouldn't move so much!"

"Maybe he's hungry?" suggests Kurumi. The dog woof'd. "See?"

"That's Taroumaru for you, always up to eating," Yuuta spoke.

"I'll go get it," Yuuri stood up to fetch the dog's meal.

Placing his bowl on the floor, the pup walked slowly and weakly to it. "Give him just a little at a time," informed Yuuri to Miki who's holding the dog food.

"Right," pouring very little food on the bowl, the girls watched around him as Taroumaru proceeded to munch on them… until he made a coughing sound as if the food was stuck in his throat.

"Senpai, water!" called Miki.

"Here," Yuuri have her a bottle of mineral water. Miki then went over to Taroumaru and placed him on her lap.

"Hang on, okay?" unscrewing the bottle cap, she poured a little of the water on her hand. "Here's some water," then she let Taroumaru drink from her hand.

Tears well in her eyes as she watched the pup. "Welcome back, Taroumaru." Rubbing his fur, Miki said to him. "Yuki-senpai told me what happened. You saved her, huh? You really are amazing. Back in the mall, too, you led the others to me," the others looked sadly at the scene. "It's all thanks to you that I'm here now, Taroumaru. So you don't have to worry anymore," the droplets fell from her eyes while she continued rubbing him. "We'll always be together."

Opening her eyes, she found that Taroumaru was staring right at her face. "Taroumaru?" The dog let out a small sound and smiled. "Jeez, what now?" Miki wiped the tears in her eyes before they widened as she gazed back at him.

There, Taroumaru lay still, unmoving and lifeless.

Sobs and cries were heard from the other members, even from Yuuta. Miki stayed frozen, unable to accept the turn of events, even as Yuki went and hugged her body.

'To such a faithful and brave dog, I give you my respect and blessing,' Yuuta clasped his hands in a prayer. 'May you rest in peace. I will never forget about your deeds.'

* * *

"Is that enough?" asked Kurumi after she finished shovelling.

The club members were now at the rooftop, more specifically in the now-destroyed garden area standing in front of a shallow hole next to Megu-nee's grave marker.

"I think so," spoke Yuuri. "Miki-san?"

"Right," stepping forward, in her arms a bundle containing Taroumaru's body wrapped with a cloth. Carefully, she placed the bundle inside the hole.

She sat in front of the opening a few seconds more before Yuuta, his shoulder still covered with bandages, called out to her. "I think it's time to say our goodbyes."

"Ready?" said Kurumi to Miki.

"Yes," she replied while holding Taroumaru's dog collar.

"Mii-kun, are you okay?" Yuki inquired as Kurumi began filling the hole back.

"I'm fine. Taroumaru saved my life. I need to send him off with a smile, right?" replied Miki. Her gaze wandered around the surroundings and for a moment, she saw Taroumaru's form perched right on top of Yuuta's head.

Then, Yuki held her hand and said to her. "That's not true at all." Walking forward to Megu-nee's grave, she removed her bowtie. "If you bottle up your feelings too much, you'll forget what they are in the first place," tying the string at the cross, Yuki remembered the last words uttered by her teacher. "I'd forgotten Megu-nee's last words for a long time. So if something bad happens, it's okay to feel sad. When something good happens, it's also okay to feel happy. You don't always have to be 'fine' or 'worse'," finishing her task, she turned around to face Miki. "So don't forget Taroumaru's last words, okay?"

"Words?" Miki muttered jokingly. "Taroumaru didn't say…"

"Sure he did!" exclaimed Yuki. "He looked at you and said… 'Thank you!'"

Miki started to realise the truth of her words and her heart began to fill with sadness. Tears came rushing out of her eyes uncontrollably, then she surged forward into Yuki's arms. "I wanted… to thank him too…" she wailed. Kurumi and Yuuri went to her and also hugged her. Yuuta came nearer and patted her head until she calmed down.

Taroumaru's grave now finished and his collar placed on the cross, the members sat in front of the two graves and prayed for their peace.

After that, Miki stood again and surveyed her surroundings. For some reason, she could still see a silhouette of Taroumaru perched on top of her male upperclassman's head. Somehow, she felt the scene to be comical and giggled, surprising everyone.

"What's so funny, Mii-kun?" inquired Yuki.

"Yeah, there's nothing weird on my face, right?" Yuuta proceeded to touch his face to look for anything out of the ordinary.

While Yuuta was checking his face, Miki saw that Taroumaru's form also moved it's front paws as if in accordance to Yuuta. She smiled at the scene before her feet began moving forward, compelled by something she's not certain of. The others just watched curiously at her.

Standing in front of her senpai, Miki lifted her right hand and, standing on the tips of her toes, promptly placed it on Yuuta's slightly spiky hair before moving her hand across it. The action lasted for a few seconds before the others realised what she's doing.

"M-Miki? Wh-What are you doing?" a flustered Yuuta asked her.

"H-Hoi, did you just did what I think you did?" spoke Kurumi.

"My my, Miki-san, I didn't know you were so bold," Yuuri said.

But the greatest reaction of all came from Yuki. "Mii-kun!" quickly crossing the distance between them, she snatched Miki's hand from Yuuta's head. "Doing embarrassing things to Yuu-kun are prohibited!"

"Sorry sorry," Miki apologised before turning her head, hiding a smirk with her hand. "I just want to see if I can get Yuuta-senpai to be my pet, but I guess he's already taken."

"Wha- Mii-kun, you pervert!" embarrassed from Miki's words, Yuki proceeded to hit her lightly with her fists.

The person that was being hit laughed at her action. Soon the others also began to laugh along with her, including Yuki.

* * *

"There wasn't much food left in the underground shelter," exclaimed Kurumi as she lowered a box filled with emergency rations.

"And since we can't use the refrigerators anymore, we need to eat the perishable foods before they spoil," Yuuri said.

"We should start with the frozen food," suggested Yuuta.

"All right! First come, first served!" shouted Yuki as she went over the other boxes in the room. "Oh, I found a bunch of Nummy Sticks!"

"That's not a frozen food!" Miki reminded.

"I can't have them? Okay, fine. I'll have one of these other snacks."

"Snacks are for after!"

"She's still the same as always, isn't she? Yuki, I mean," Yuuta spoke to Yuuri while Yuki and Miki bickered about the snacks.

Yuuri let out a giggle. "She sure is."

"Does the stove still work, Ri-san?" sitting on a chair next to Yuuri, Kurumi asked.

"It will while the emergency power supply lasts, but that won't be much longer," Yuuri informed.

"The water supply's in danger, too," stated Miki as she took a seat across Kurumi.

"Yes, since it was pumped up from underground using electricity after all," stated Yuuta.

"I guess we really have to leave…" said Kurumi.

"But, there won't be another place as well-equipped as here, though," Miki told them.

"Actually, take a look at this," Yuuri reached to her sides and procured a piece of paper. Placing it on the table revealed that it was a map. "I read through the manual again and found this," she pointed to a place on the map that was circled with a bear shape. "Do you think this symbol is for shelters?"

"Did… Did Megu-nee leave this?" Kurumi inquired.

Yuuri nodded. "They're all a bit far from here, though."

"Well, we still have the car we used for the club outing," stated Kurumi again.

"Megu-nee was already thinking about where you all should go next," Miki spoke.

"Of course. She was our teacher." "Yup." Replied Yuuri and Kurumi.

"Let's see… the closest place is the College of Saint Isodore," read Yuuri.

"This company, the Randall Corporation, is close as well," pointed Miki.

'What?!' Yuuta suddenly woke up from his current slumber and lifted his head. 'Randall Corporation?!' he repeated the word. 'If I remember correctly, that's the name of the place where Dad works. And he never really did arrive home that day. So… does that mean that, no matter how small the chance is, he could still be alive?'

"College or the workforce, huh?" while Yuuta was in deep thought over the sudden information, the other three were also thinking about their next course of action.

"Either way, there could be other people who evacuated before things went bad," said Kurumi.

The two realised the truth of her words. "Yes… I'm sure there are," Yuuri agreed. "Do you think they'll take us in?" asked Miki. "We have no idea what kind of people they'll be…" spoke Yuuri.

"Since they'd actually understand us, it could be even worse than dealing with 'them'," Kurumi stated the possibility.

"We can't deny that possibility," agreed Miki.

The air at the table began to stand still as the members were in their own thoughts, until Yuki suddenly shouted, alerting everyone.

"Hey, everyone! Look at this!"

"What now…" Kurumi was annoyed before she saw Yuki munching on some crackers. "I knew it! You're eating snacks!"

"Forget about that. Look at this!" she waved the matter aside and placed a packet of frozen meat on the table.

"It's got bite marks," noticed Yuuri.

"Senpai, I know you get hungry, but…" Miki said with an accusing tone.

"I-It wasn't me!" Yuki denied the accusation.

"I see. They're not from human teeth," Yuuta peered closer to look at the marks.

"Was it Taroumaru?" inquired Yuki.

"No, whatever did this was smaller than him," Miki informed.

"Maybe there was another dog somewhere underground?" proposed Kurumi. The five were shocked with realisation.

"This whole time, I've been wondering why Taroumaru was down there in the first place," voiced Miki.

"That's it! Taroumaru must've gone to visit the one that did this!" Yuki told her idea.

"Yeah, that must be it!" exclaimed Kurumi. "Otherwise, he'd never go somewhere that dangerous."

"He must've been worried about the puppy and gone to check on it…" Miki added as she also stood up like Kurumi.

"Yeah! Taroumaru did love to care for others!" continued Yuki as she joined the two.

"But you didn't see any animals when you were down there, did you?" Yuuri asked.

"No… And if it ran outside, who knows if it's still alive…" Miki's voice lowered.

"I'm sure you three are correct," Yuuta rises from his seat. "After all, Taroumaru's our dog, right?"

"Yeah… You're right," smiled Miki. "Taroumaru was a really brave dog."

"You couldn't be more right than that!" Yuuta chuckled.

"You know, we should quit worrying about what'll happen after we leave," spoke Kurumi. "Taroumaru would laugh at us, just like Yuuta."

Yuuri mulled it over for a second before replying. "Yes." Then, she stood up. "Then, I guess it's time to say goodbye to this school, too."

"Hey, before we go…" Yuki spoke to draw the attention of the others. "Let's have our graduation!"

"Graduation…" Yuuta repeated the word.

"That's right, we still have the ceremony left," said Yuuri.

"Even now… you still act like you always are, senpai," Miki remarked.

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?" Yuki inquired.

"It means you're fine just the way you are, Yuki," a hand landed on her head and Yuki looked up, finding Yuuta next to her.

"Wait, do I need to graduate, too?" asked Miki.

"I don't mind if you want to stay another year here, it would be easier for everyone," Yuuta grinned. "Ain't that right, Yuki?"

"Indeed, you're right, Yuu-kun," Yuuta's grin was mirrored by Yuki. "It would be a lot less trouble for us if we left Mii-kun here."

"Hehehehehe…" a sinister aura began to emanate from the two as they chuckled evilly together.

"O-On second thought, maybe I really do need to graduate after all," Miki corrected her statement earlier after seeing her two upperclassmen's evil persona. "I don't want to be left alone in this school."

Yuuri giggled non-evilly before clapping her hands together to gain the others' attention. "Then it's settled. The School-Living Club's final activity will be a graduation ceremony."

"Yeah!" cheered energetically the four, minus Miki.

* * *

All through the morning and afternoon, the members get on doing their tasks to prepare for their graduation ceremony. Writing certificates, making paper flowers, decorating the specified classroom with said flowers and drawing on the blackboard. Working together, they managed to finish the preparation just before lunch.

* * *

"The graduates of Megurigaoka Private High School will now be awarded their diplomas," spoke Yuuri, leading the club members in the ceremony. Each of them also had a flower pin placed on their chest. "The underclass farewell address will be read by Naoki Miki."

"Yes!" Miki exclaimed before marching forwards into the front of the class. Bowing to her upperclassmen who responded with the same, she then opened her prepared text.

"Time certainly flies," she began her speech. "It feels as though I've just met you all, yet it's already graduation season. Beyond the walls of this school, a vast future stretches out before us. As I think that I'm about to set sail into the tumultuous waters of society, I feel both proud and afraid. You all let me join the School-Living Club, where I learned what it is to believe in your own strength and work hard, how to be brave in the face of adversity, how the heart can remain bright and optimistic, even in the darkest times, and to know when to rely on the others around you. Because of that, I am no longer afraid," Miki bowed again to her senpais "I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Underclass speaker and graduate, Naoki Miki," wiping some tears in her eyes, she finished her address. The other four gave her an applause.

"Next, graduating class speaker Kiriha Yuuta," Yuuri spoke again.

"Yes!" it was now Yuuta's turn to talk. Walking to the place Miki previously stood, he bowed a little before picking his speech address. "Naoki-san, thank you for that moving speech. I could really feel your emotions in them, not to mention it's rare for you to be honest with others."

"Yuuta-senpai!" Miki interrupted him.

"Eheheh, sorry," his playful personality aside, Yuuta took on a more serious expression. "My friendship with all of you is very important to me. Thanks to you guys, I can enjoy my life here at school to the fullest extent that I've never known. Truly, I would never regret meeting Yuki on that day, the moment where our time together started. My relation with her is one that I will always treasure," Yuki blushed crimson as he said those words. "You know, for a long time, I've always thought that fate is something that you cannot control and that you'll eventually submit to its workings. However, the time that we spend together has made me think that perhaps destiny is not so bad after all since it's one of the reasons we're still alive and well in this moment. Of course, many peoples are now gone, but I believe we carry inside us their unfulfilled hopes and dreams, a proof that they were once here. Because of that, I'm so glad- no, happy that we all get the chance to graduate together," his eyes obscured by his hair, a few droplets fell onto the paper. "That's why, I hope we'll always stay together," Yuuta parted away the hair covering his eyes with his right hand, revealing several tears flowing from his two blue orbs. The others were surprised and went over to him. "Graduating class speaker Kiriha Yuuta."

After the speech was given, next is the giving of the school certificate. Each of the members took turns presenting them to the other members, going on until Kurumi was last, given by Yuki. At least that was what supposed to happen before Yuki decided to tease Kurumi by not giving her the paper. She eventually caught her, though.

Then, the five stood at their seats. "Bow to the teachers," Yuuri instructed and they followed, bowing in front of them. "This concludes the presentation of diplomas and the Megurigaoka High School graduation ceremony."

One by one, the group filed out of the room with Yuuri the last one to exit. Before she did, she turned back to the room and could faintly see the form of their club teacher smiling at her while holding the card that they signed to her.

"Thank you," she muttered. Then, she went to join the others.

* * *

Reorganising the contents of his mysteriously spacious backpack, Yuuta took his time inserting back all the things that he'd taken out. 'There's nothing to rush for, after all,' he thought.

The club was getting prepared to move out of the school that evening. Before that, however, they need to manage their resources and supplies. Particularly, deciding which things that are important to their survival and can be taken with them inside Megu-nee's car. The food supplies have to be brought along, of course, but not all of them can fit inside the trunk. The girls chose to take care of that matter along with the issue of their personal belongings. So, all Yuuta needed to do was organise his own belongings.

While performing this task, Yuuta's eyes caught on something shiny among the scattered things on the floor. Approaching the place, he reached his hand to pick the thing. Bringing it close to his face turns out it was the box that contains the other necklace that he bought. Smiling, he decided to shove the box into his pocket and went on to resume his cleaning.

"I think that's all of them," said Yuuta several minutes later. Standing up, he stretched his body to remove any fatigue. "Now, time to see if the girls are also done with their work."

Grabbing his backpack and sword, Yuuta exited the room and made his way to the clubroom. Arriving there, he slides open the door and addressed the inhabitants. "Hey, you all set to go?"

"Ah, Yuuta," Kurumi greeted him. "You finished already? That's fast."

Yuuta placed his belongings on the floor before replying. "Yeah, I don't have many things, to begin with. Just some clothes, my sword and some small personal things." Then, he turned to Yuuri. "So, Ri-san. Is everything good here?"

"Yes, everything's okay, I believe," said Yuuri. "We've already packed all the remaining supplies that we have inside the car. Now, we're just deciding on the other things that we may need."

"Nothing left out, I suppose?"

"No, Yuuta-senpai," Miki answered. "We can handle matters quite well here."

Yuuta nodded. "I see, so you don't need my help then." Glancing around the room, he finally noticed something missing in the scene. "Hey, where's Yuki?"

"Ah, Yuuta-kun. If you want to find Yuki-chan, I'm afraid she already left the room earlier," informed Yuuri.

"Any idea where she went?"

"I think she may go to the rooftop," Kurumi spoke. "I saw her going in that direction a few minutes ago."

"I'll go get her then," voiced Yuuta as he stood at the entrance. "Don't want her to be late."

"It will be much appreciated, senpai," Miki remarked.

Walking through the hallways, Yuuta moved quickly to the informed place. Climbing the stairs leading to the rooftop, his heart surged with happiness at the thought of meeting her.

Arriving at the door, he pushed the entrance open. Almost immediately, he was assaulted with the bright rays of sunlight from beyond. After a second of adjusting his eyes, he saw her. Her short body, her bright pink hair that corresponds with her bubbly and cheerful nature, the distinct headwear that he had started to think as cute, and most of all, her face that clears his mind of any worry. Especially her eyes, those pink orbs that always manage to captivate him and contrasts greatly with his own blue eyes.

Standing at the edge of the roof with her hands on the railings, she had a wistful expression at the moment, differing from most of the moments he had seen her. Because of that, all he could do was stare at her, not daring to interrupt the serenity of the scene.

Suddenly, maybe noticing him from the corner of her eyes, she turned around to greet him. Her short hair flowing in the wind, a smile was plastered on her face. "Ah, Yuu-kun. What are you doing here?"

Her voice finally brought Yuuta back to reality. He blushed as he scolded himself for staring too long at her. "Ah, n-nothing, Yuki. Just coming to see how you do."

"Is that so…" content with the answer, Yuki went back to gazing from her position.

His embarrassment from the blunder earlier gone, he marched to Yuki's place, standing a little distance from her right. Resting his arms on the railings, he also stared at the school's courtyard. "They're really gone, huh?"

"They all went home," Yuki replied.

"You're right about that."

"Is it weird to think it feels a bit lonely?" inquired Yuki.

Yuuta chuckled. "Very weird, indeed." Then, his eyes fell on the face of his companion once more. In his mind, he felt thankful that he was given the chance to know this person, being able to interact with her and shown, even if a little, of the wonderful life this world can still provide. 'I hope this time would never pass.'

However, this time Yuki noticed him earlier and asked him about it. "What is it, Yuu-kun?"

"You know, recently…" he paused for a moment. "Recently, I haven't hated this school anymore. In fact, I've come to really love this school."

"Really? That's great," replied Yuki. Then, her eyes caught on something poking out of the pocket of Yuuta's trousers. "Aah! What's there you got in your pocket, Yuu-kun?"

"What?" Yuuta looked downwards and, true enough, the box containing the jewellery was sticking out from his sides. 'I'm getting a really massive case of déjà vu here,' he remarked. "Oh, it's nothing, Yuki. Just something not important from-"

"Can I see it?!" Yuki interrupted, her eyes glinting with curiosity and excitement.

Averting his gaze to the side, Yuuta tried resisting her stares. After ten seconds of holding on, he gave up and relented. "Fine, I was going to show you, anyway," he took out the box and showed it to Yuki.

Accepting the package, Yuki asked him. "Can I open it?" Yuuta nodded and she proceeded to take off the cover. "Woohh!" screamed Yuki in amazement as her eyes lay on the piece of jewellery inside. "What is this?"

"It's a necklace," answered Yuuta. "I bought it not so long ago and I've always kept it with me. I didn't know what to do with it though since I already have one," he reached into his shirt and took out his blue heart-shaped necklace.

"Then, can I have it?" Yuki inquired. "I-I mean, if you don't mind, that is."

Yuuta shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, it's not like it'd be any good if I just store it inside my bag."

"Yay~" carefully picking the necklace, Yuki then brought the string behind her neck. Struggling for several seconds, she finally managed to hook the ends together. Looking fondly at the pink heart shape of the pendant, Yuki beamed a bright and cute smile towards Yuuta. "Thanks, Yuu-kun. Now we match with each other."

However, the smile had a strange effect on Yuuta and a red colour appeared on his cheeks. Unable to look at her in the eyes, he turned around with his back on her. His mind then remembered something that she said.

"You know, Yuki," he said. "These necklaces were actually a pair, intended for couples."

"Couples…" it took a few seconds before the meaning of the word sank into Yuki. As a result, her face turned bright crimson.

"Plus…" continued Yuuta, still with his face away from her. "I never did answer your confession, did I?"

"Ehh?" Yuki panicked as she was reminded of her action the day before. "Y-You don't have to say anything, Yuu-kun. I-I'm fine."

Taking a deep breath, Yuuta turned around and confronted Yuki. Clenching his fists, he gave his reply. "Please be my girlfriend, Yuki. I love you, too. That's why, I want us to always be together," his emotions pouring out of his heart, he looked at Yuki's reaction.

Yuki was understandably surprised and shocked at his answer. Nevertheless, she brought her hands to her mouth, unable to believe that Yuuta would reciprocate her feelings. Tears welled at the corner of her eyes before they flowed uncontrollably as she smiled at him, happiness written all over her face. Taking a step forward, she closed the distance between them and wounded her arms around Yuuta's abdomen. Smothering her face at his shirt, she spoke to him.

"Yes, Yuu-kun. Yes yes yes, I'll be your girlfriend, and I'll always stay by your side, no matter what happens."

Yuuta also brought his arms around Yuki's short frame. "Thank you, Yuki. Thank you," he said as droplets of tears also fell from his blue eyes. "I'll never ever leave your side."

Separating a little from each other's hug, they stared straight at the other's eyes. The distance between their face was close, so close, that they could feel the respective other's breath. Their mind thinking of the same thing, they brought their face closer and closer until finally, their lips touched.

For a minute, they just stayed in that position, appreciating the warm feeling of each other's lips and comforting embrace. When the need for air emerges, only then did they removed their mouth from the other person.

Instinctively, Yuuta touched his lips with his hand. Rubbing them together, he commented. "That was, kind of sweet, I guess?"

"Hehe," giggled Yuki. "I love you, Yuu-kun!"

"Yes, me too," then, Yuuta glanced behind him and suddenly yelled. "You three can come out now!"

Yuki looked at him, puzzled over the meaning of his words until the door to the rooftop opened and three figures fell on the floor.

"Ouch, that hurts, Ri-san."

"Sorry, Kurumi. It seems I got too excited."

"Senpais, please hurry and get up. You're crushing me."

Slowly, Kurumi, Yuuri and Miki rises from the floor, dusting the dust from their clothes.

Meanwhile, Yuki just stared at them, mouth gaping wide open as her cheeks flushed red. "W-W-Wha… What are you all doing here?!"

"Well, we've come to check up on you two, of course," Kurumi answered. "But we decided to not interrupt your very intimate moment," she smirked at Yuki. "That said, how did ya notice us, Yuuta?"

"I didn't," replied him. "However, I've seen enough animes to know that scenes like this tend to have someone watching over the couple." Then, Yuuta pointed to his ear. "Also, I can somehow sense your presences from here."

"Is that so. You're really amazing, Yuuta-senpai," commented Miki.

"That matter aside, I'm so happy for you, Yuki-chan," said Yuuri to the still unresponsive Yuki. "You finally found someone that you loved."

"Yeah, congrats Yuki," Kurumi spoke. "Never thought you both had the guts to confess to each other."

"Yuuta-senpai, Yuki-senpai, congratulations," Miki bowed a little. "I wish you both happiness."

Yuki took a few more seconds before she displayed her reaction. "Hawawawa," by making a weird noise. Then, she felt an arm slung over her shoulders, pulling her body close to the person. Looking upwards, she saw Yuuta, smiling at her.

"Looks like things are going to get more interesting for us, don't you think?"

Even with the embarrassment, she's currently feeling, Yuki managed to beam a smile at him. "Hai!"

* * *

Starting the car's engines, Kurumi asked the others. "Everyone ready?"

"Ready!" They replied.

"We're off!" The car moved and Kurumi steered it to head for the school gates.

Staring through the windows, Miki looked outside before Yuki spoke to her.

"Did you forget something?"

"Oh, no," she answered. Yuki smiled at her and leant her head on Yuuta who's sitting on her left.

Then, Miki saw a lone undead shuffling into the school courtyard. What's more, the undeads looked very similar to her friend, Kei.

As the car passed the figure, she stared at it, unbelieving of what she just saw.

"What is it?" Yuki asked her again.

"Nothing… some tears appeared in Miki's eyes before she wiped them. "Just thinking about how we really do love our school."

"Ne ne, so, this is like our graduation trip, huh?" cheerfully, Yuki stated.

"It is. Where should we go?" Yuuri inquired.

"America!" yelled Yuki.

"Another country?" Kurumi exclaimed in surprise.

"Kurumi-chan, where do you want to go?" Yuki asked for her idea.

"If it's our graduation trip… Kyoto, maybe?"

"Kyoto… you sound like a ninja," commented Yuki.

"Why a ninja?!"

"An apprentice geisha, then?" Yuuri suggests.

"Uh…"

"Ah, you were considering it, weren't you?" teased Yuuri. The girls began to snicker at her.

"You guys!" shouted Kurumi.

"What about you, Yuu-kun? Where do you want to go?" Yuki directed her question to Yuuta next.

Yuuta put on a smile on his face and, calmly spoke. "I don't mind our destination. As long as you're there with me, Yuki, I'll follow you anywhere."

Yuki blushed over his comment while the others giggled at the almost-too-honest response.

* * *

"Yawn…"

Yuuta closed his mouth as he tried to pay attention to the road. When night came, he offered to take the driver's place from Kurumi as they all rested. Yuki, wanting to accompany him, sat next to him but had already fallen asleep an hour ago.

His hand firm on the steering wheel, Yuuta kept a lookout for any dangerous horde of undeads and a safe place to rest. Suddenly, he felt a movement from his side.

Glancing to his left, he saw Yuki moving in her seat and rubbing her eyes. Partially awake, she took notice of Yuuta beside her.

"Hey…"

"Good evening, Yuki," replied Yuuta. "Did you have a good sleep?"

"Yes…" her voice drawled out, indicating that she's still not quite awake. "Ne, Yuu-kun," Yuki spoke after a minute of silence. "We'll always be together, right?"

The question surprised Yuuta, wondering about what caused her to brought this topic up. Thinking that it was maybe due to a bad dream that she had, he answered quickly with firm resolve in his voice. "Of course. I'll always stay by your side."

"Thanks," said Yuki before she closed her eyes again, drifting to sleep once more.

Yuuta giggled at her behaviour, finding it cute. However, a second later his mind was filled with thoughts about the future. 'I wonder what awaits us in our journey. The future is unpredictable, changing the lives of peoples as time goes by. Maybe I shouldn't tell her that so quickly, after all, we might get separated sometime later.'

The car kept moving and Yuuta's thought also kept moving. 'However, if that were to happen, I would make sure that I always find my way back to her at the end. No matter how hard it is, I swear that I will never die until I return to her. This is my promise to the world and I will keep it.'

Until the very end.

Chapter 0 : Cover of the Great Saga

* * *

Finally, the end. I've had a lot of fun writing this fic, what's with being my first and all. But firstly, let me express my deepest gratitude to those who had read and reviewed this story. Thank you.

Did you like the confession scene? I was inspired to write the part from a certain very popular show that is, in my opinion, the greatest romance/drama anime I've ever seen. They were never shown kissing in the show, though, of which I'm slightly confused.

Moreover, to quote a certain author, 'that chapter 0 thing is kinda acting like an incentive *wink* *wink* * nudge* * nudge*'. Also, the title is exactly what it says on the tin. This is just the cover people!(again, I'm borrowing the concept from a certain popular novel)

I hope this story get recommended on TV Tropes.

There will be a sequel to this story, titled(appropriately enough) Outside-Life. I'll start on it soon so be sure to read it. That's all, I guess from me. See you later~


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